Dress controversy bars woman from court

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga.,None — A woman is worried about possibly being thrown in jail after, she said, she was forced to miss a DeKalb County court hearing over her outfit.

Olivia Walker was to appear in recorder’s court Tuesday for a traffic ticket, but she said sheriff’s deputies would not allow her into the courthouse because the dress she was wearing was too short.

“The way we dress is an expression of ourselves,” Walker said. “As I was going in, they said, ‘You’re dressed inappropriately.’ My bra was showing a little bit so naturally I assumed this is what it was for. I went and got a jacket and put it on.”

But when she returned, she said deputies told her that didn’t fix the problem and her mini skirt was not allowed. A sign posted at the court points out the rule.

"They said, 'Well, the sign says no minis.' I said, 'Well, a mini is up to the thigh,' and I said, 'Well, mine as it is now is slightly above the knee and when I pull it down further, it's  below the knee,'" Walker told Channel 2's Eric Philips.

Because she wasn’t allowed inside, Walker missed her court date and now she’s afraid of the repercussions.

“I don’t know if they’re going to stop me and say, ‘There’s a warrant out for your arrest because you didn’t show up to court,’” Walker said.

She said she wasn’t informed of the next appropriate steps.

“I don’t have a piece of paper stating that you can come back at a certain time. I don’t have anything,” she said.

Walker is trying to contact the court to see if a new date has been set for her.  She’s also planning to file a complaint with the department of justice because she said her rights have been violated.

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WSBTV