Is the court system biased against men?

Question

When dealing with cases like alleged sexual harassment, divorce, and custody battles?

I've noticed that when it's her word vs his, the court tends to lean in her favor. Especially when she accuses him of sexual harassment/rape, they see her as the "victim" even when she could be lying or exaggerating a large portion of the story and when the man tries to defend himself, he is grilled much harder than the woman.

Or in a custody battle. Almost always she ends up winning. Personally I think it comes from an idea that mothers are seen as the "better" parent. She could make up all kinds of lies about him to destroy his creditably as a father and while the court is supposed to question both parties, they tend to use this "evidence" against the father. (There's an interesting documentary about this on YouTube, but unfortunately I can't find it)

Divorce. Apparently statistics show that the majority of divorces are initiated by women. And just like the custody cases, she usually wins.

Answer 1

NO is the answer to your headline question.  

In custody cases where there is a full trial men receive custody more than women.   About 60% of the time even.    

As for more divorces being "initiated" by women - I also disagree.    My husband decided he no longer wanted to be married.    But a year later he still had not filed.   So I had to secure an attorney and file.   I am sure you would count ME as being the initiator -  but I was not.    I just wanted to go on with my life.

Answer 2

It is biased on social class first and race secondly.

Answer 3

Most definitely. The courts have already made up their minds to believe the woman over the man and thus the man really has no fair chance to win his case.

Edit: Why? The feminists have poisoned the minds of those in charge,  against men.

Answer 4

It's biased more against poor people and minorities.

Answer 5

There are few divorce court battles these days unless there's a custody issue or big money involved. It's mostly women who bring about divorce proceedings because they get fed up with the other persons betrayal/unfaithfullness. Though theyre more likely to call it unreasonable behaviour these days.

Unfortunately in rape cases the man's previous isn't allowed in court, incase it prejudices the jury's decision. Most rape cases are men who have raped before but a jury has given a verdict based on one person's word against another.

Answer 6

Certainly, as judges do not need to answer to anybody and almost impossible to impeach. So basically they can be as discriminative as they want to be as there is no fear that they will be accountable for their actions.

Answer 7

Depends on where you live, in the west its biased torwards men in the east torwards women.

Answer 8

That's not always true. My cousin won custody of his daughter after her mother tried to sell her in a bar for crack. And this happened 200 miles away from where my cousin lived. So it all depends on the situation.

Answer 9

yes because woman will get you thrown in jail all of them will.

Answer 10

So that victim mentality seems to be workin' for ya just fine.

Answer 11

I do agree that there is a large amount of bias in courts against men.

While I never agree with discrimination, the fact is that men can thank their own gender for the bias.  

Statistically woman do not murder, rape, stalk, or abuse men, even 6% as much as men do onto woman.  Statistically, men have more documented cases of anger, rage issues.  Statistically men have a significant higher rate of criminal activity as opposed to a woman.  (This is true with men and woman amongst all races).  

Statistically woman are the primary care takers of children.  

So, it's the probability factor.  

In addition to the statistics, many woman were turned down for restraining orders, or ignored or denied pleas to the courts when they were being abused.  Before recent years woman were still considered 'property' of men, and such cries seemed frivilous to the law that was supposed to protect them.  As a result some of these woman were continuously beaten or even murdered.  When woman's advocate groups started to bring these cases to the attention of the courts, the courts finally started to listen.

I personally know 2 seperate cases of men who are not with their children, but deserve to have full custody because the woman has lied.  This enrages me, because this woman is taking advantage of not only the men, BUT OTHER WOMAN who have worked so hard, to get the courts to listen to them.  Too many wolf's crying sheep, will swing the pendulum the other way.

I also personally know, a woman who was stabbed in her face by the man she tried to get a restraining order against, that day!  She was denied, because their was not evidence he posed no serious threat because he didn't 'own a gun'. Or say outright 'I'm going to kill you'.  So, her fear to the court was not justified.

So, there is injustice on both sides.  But on the side of caution, the ruling usually is for the woman.

I'm not saying it's fair-- to lean on the side of woman-- but the courts are better safe than sorry to do so,  if they cannot make a judgement based on facts presented.

Answer 12

I think it is, in many cases.  I think this has happened more so some time during the last century, because before that, I believe women were victims of the courts.  I think it's pitiful, beause when you think of custody cases, the kids often end up with the mom, and even if she is a horrible mother, she can be painted as a good one.  I don't think it's fair, either way.  I don't believe there will ever be equal justice.  There's always going to be someone who is favored, whether because of race or gender, and someone who is shown bias.