# rising in respect **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 19, 2010, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rising-in-respect/550717 "2010-08-19T05:51:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![copperwindow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@copperwindow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/copperwindow)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rising-in-respect/550717/1 "2010-08-19T05:51:46Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rising-in-respect/550717/2 "2010-08-19T06:27:59Z")
Ah. But the judge embodies the Awful Majesty of the Law in a way that the stenographer does not. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rising-in-respect/550717/3 "2010-08-19T07:15:46Z")
It’s always wise to act deferential in the presence of absolute power. ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rising-in-respect/550717/4 "2010-08-19T07:27:50Z")
As someone who is going to school to become a stenographer, I must say I support standing when the stenographer does. ---
**Author:** ![GHO57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df788c/32.png) [@GHO57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GHO57)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rising-in-respect/550717/5 "2010-08-19T07:30:09Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > Ah. But the judge embodies the Awful Majesty of the Law in a way that the stenographer does not. You mean the dress thing they wear? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rising-in-respect/550717/6 "2010-08-19T07:36:55Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rising-in-respect/550717/7 "2010-08-19T08:31:40Z")
> [@GHO57](#): > > > [@UDS](#): > > > > Ah. But the judge embodies the Awful Majesty of the Law in a way that the stenographer does not. > > You mean the dress thing they wear? “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.)