Great news, readers, on the resurrection of one of the great offices of state - the Greffier on the Channel island of Alderney. The post, which combines the responsibilities of the clerk of the court and the clerk of the states of Alderney, was taken up this week by 37-year-old advocate Sarah Kelly. She's likely to be a busy bee, given that the role means providing legal advice to the island's legislature as well as acting as company registrar, land registrar, registrar of births, deaths and marriages, and registrar of anything else that springs to mind. But best of all, we think you'll agree, is the decision to bring back the Greffier's remarkable hat, which looks as if it has a long and noble history. Obiter has never been a fan of judges and court officials being allowed to wear civvies - enjoying in particular Lord Irvine of Lairg's discomfort at having to wear the Lord Chancellor's garb on the woolsack - and this is one more reason why.