Former News 4 WOAI reporter Mariah Medina, 32, is defending her right to “bare” arms after making national headlines over a sleeveless shift dress.
Since leaving the newsroom in October 2025, Medina has made headway in the San Antonio legal field as a defense attorney. On Monday, she made an appearance in Bexar County court for a brief docket hearing.
That’s when the judge asked her to approach the bench “so she could see my outfit… in front of defendants and other lawyers,” Medina wrote in an X post after the incident.
“She laughed and asked if I really believed that my dress was appropriate for a jury trial… then asked me if I had a blazer in my car,” Medina continued. “Such a disappointing interaction and a first since licensure.”
The former San Antonio television reporter later shared a photo of the dress on social media, saying she had worn it “on air countless times” and in other courtrooms without an issue. She also shared an older video showing herself wearing the same dress while working as a reporter.
Bexar County courtroom rules require attorneys and court officials to wear business attire, while business-casual clothing may be allowed at a judge’s discretion. Medina said the judge “has a list of things that she forbids in court re: attire, but this is not on that list.”
“I grew up in a conservative church and I was truly confused. It’s appropriate length, doesn’t expose cleavage,” Medina added. “It’s a J Crew dress for crying out loud, not a Hoochies Anonymous Club.”
Medina said she believed her outfit complied with the dress code posted outside the courtroom. When asked if she regretted wearing the dress in an interview with Inside Edition, she said “No, I don’t regret wearing that dress.” However, in a separate interview with the New York Post, she said “I respect the authority of the court. And I will wear a blazer to cover up (if asked).”
Despite the fuss, Medina seems to have a lighthearted outlook on the situation.
“Here, I though Texas had the strongest right to bear arms, but evidently when it comes to ‘bare’ arms, I don’t know where it stops,” she told Inside Edition.