Dr Maebh Harding, from the Warwick … A 2015 study by the University of Warwick concluded that family courts do not discriminate against the father. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. When my ex-partner left the family home I was determined that my daughter would in no way go without anything she was already accustomed to. 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Family court has for some been disastrous for families more so for father’s. Judge seeks to end myth of family court bias against fathers ... that there is a gender bias against fathers within the family justice system". The law itself is not written to impose bias, but in the past, decisions in the Family Courts have reflected the gender bias that exists in society. READ SOURCE. A recent fathers' rights protest Claims that family courts are biased in favour of mothers have been rejected by top judge Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss. Report dispels myth that UK family courts are biased to mothers Family law solicitor Barry Bunyan discusses the theory that English and Welsh family courts are biased to mothers and its impact upon Child Arrangement Orders. This will be a particular norm among older members of the judiciary, of course. Indeed, as Sodha points out, the courts have become increasingly willing to contemplate transferring children’s residence from “alienating mothers” to their fathers. This website uses cookies. The one time such stereotypes were arguably harmful, however, was during my custody case. Communicating that to the court, where time is precious and the chance to talk is limited, is not easy – especially when the other side is presenting a different picture. My wife has confessed that when she first learned I was a single dad she automatically presumed that mum had died! 636644), Probate Registry delays continue as online applications become mandatory. Contact applications by fathers 'overwhelmingly successful' There is no evidence that family courts in England and Wales are discriminating against fathers because of gender bias, a new study by the Universities of Warwick and Reading and funded by the Nuffield Foundation has found. It’s true that mothers are more likely to receive custody of their children in a divorce. Do not hesitate to contact the Court and complain about the mother. Erasing Child Support Bias Today. Our lawyers explain that just because women are considered culturally better at parenting than men does not give the court a legal right to award more child custody rights to the mother unless there are facts proving that the child’s best interests would be met if he or she remains to live with the mother. Tags: children, court, discrimination, father, human rights, mother, UK, unfairness This entry was posted on June 22, 2008 at 8:28 am and is filed under Anti-male discrimination . Mothers and children get approached with unfounded suspicion, and children are suffering the cruel consequences. If you’re a dad and in a situation where your claim for custody is a rightful one, there’s no legal reason why that shouldn’t be the case. In her excellent article (There is a bias in family courts – but it’s not against men, 6 March) Sonia Sodha refers to the uphill battle faced by women who have suffered domestic abuse to be taken seriously in the family courts. 'No court bias against fathers' A recent fathers' rights protest Claims that family courts are biased in favour of mothers have been rejected by top judge Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss. 10, 2019 , 3:00 PM. The law itself does not include any legal bias toward the mother over the father. I do understand that this is a serious topic and that many people It’s true that mothers are more likely to receive custody of their children in a divorce. Voices. I referred to research (Fortin, Hunt and Scanlon, 2012: Taking a longer view of contact) which suggests the courts should not assume that children reluctant to have contact have been brainwashed by the non-resident parent. Study finds family courts not discriminating against fathers. no family court orders , mother deluberatly takes child out so father cant see him , calls the police for harassment when he arrives to pick him up , she stating baby wet and hungry and crying on return , not true , ever we got different nappies now , what are his rights , baby in his name . The argument that Men's Rights activists make doesn't hold water. Family courts rule about 80% favorable to mothers. In fact, perceived bias against men in family courts has, in large part, provided the so-called “Men’s Rights Movement” with momentum. Patriarchy affects how custody battles are eventually ruled – and not because the court is particularly in favor of women. A recent report based on research by the University of Warwick examined nearly 200 family law case files from 2011 to investigate whether the family courts in England and Wales have a gender bias against fathers. Given that the vast majority of family court decisions are that children should primarily reside with their mother and that they will have weekly contact with their father, I don't think there's that much of an inherent bias against mothers. The research, by the universities of Warwick and Reading, found that on the contrary, contact applications by fathers were “overwhelmingly successful”. Three elderly female magistrates. This danger has increased since my letter to the Guardian was published over two years ago (Dangers of crackdown on parental alienation, 30 November 2017). But the source of the bias is not in the courts – it’s in the marriage. Today, regrettably, such assumptions seem to be on the rise. And when you are a single dad, there are plenty of times you face being a little marginalised. 7. A child at the receiving end of such an order might justifiably feel completely betrayed by the court system.Jane FortinEmeritus professor of law, University of Sussex, • Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com, • Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters, • Do you have a photo you’d like to share with Guardian readers? In other words, parental contact should not be blocked unless absolutely necessary. Whether it’s the ballet teacher talking about asking the “mums” for help at the summer show, school newsletters mentioning “mums” in the playground or Brownies asking “mums” for help sewing, barely a day passed when my apparent abnormality was not thrust upon me. Family Courts. 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