Why must we rise every time a judge gets up? Why should we show any respect to the judge every time he get’s up? Shouldn’t we rise every time the stenographer gets up and pay her respect?
Ah. But the judge embodies the Awful Majesty of the Law in a way that the stenographer does not.
It’s always wise to act deferential in the presence of absolute power.
As someone who is going to school to become a stenographer, I must say I support standing when the stenographer does.
You mean the dress thing they wear?
More seriously, people aren’t just rising in honor of the judge, they’re rising to mark the beginning of the official legal proceedings. It’s an effective way of telling everyone in the courtroom to cut the chitchat and get to business.
Besides, like I said, absolute power - it reminds the litigants that no matter how rich or powerful they are outside the courtroom, *inside *the courtroom someone else is in charge.
“Frock”, I believe, is the technical term.
But, no. The judge is the guy who actually exercises the authority of the state in his decision-making power. The stenographer, worthy and dignified as his noble calling undoubtedly is, is not really comparable. You stand for the judge for the same reason as you stand for the President. (Though, personally, it’s all the same to me if you stand for neither.)