From: Bob.Clarke%bbs@actcnews.res.utc.com (Bob Clarke)
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 93 07:47:41 EDT
Organization: United Technologies Research Center
Subject: Re: Sexual Discrimination
Distribution: world
Reply-To: Bob.Clarke%bbs@actcnews.res.utc.com (Bob Clarke)
X-Posting-Software: UniBoard 1.10a S/N 190921

In message <1993Jan26.232704.27278@cbnewsk.cb.att.com>
dated Tue, 26 Jan 1993 23:27:04 GMT
noraa@cbnewsk.cb.att.com (aaron.l.hoffmeyer) writes:

> In article <qy4ZXB1w165w@oneb2.almanac.bc.ca> lisa@oneb2.almanac.bc.ca writes
:
> >noraa@cbnewsk.cb.att.com (aaron.l.hoffmeyer) writes:
> >
> >> In article <1993Jan26.035102.3766@midway.uchicago.edu> thf2@midway.uchicag
o.e
> >> >In article <1993Jan26.011724.27341@cbnewsk.cb.att.com> noraa@cbnewsk.cb.a
tt.
> >>
> >Deletions...
> >
> >> Ted, one question....
> >> 
> >> Given that women are awarded either sole custody or primary custody
> >> (usually something like a 75/25 split) in roughly 85% of all divorces
> >> in this country in which the divorcing couple are parents of children
> >> under age eighteen, despite laws in virtually every state that
> >> emphatically set forth that judges should NOT be biased by gender in
> >> awarding said custody of children, are the judges and referees of the
> >> domestic relations courts of the United States of America guilty of
> >> sexual discrimination?
> >> 
> >> Aaron L. Hoffmeyer
> >
> >Just one question;  Does anyone have real stats on how often men ask for
> >sole or primary custody, in comparison to how often they are actually
> >awarded it?
> >
> >For example, if men ask for some kind of custody in only 30% of all divorce
> >cases, how many of *that* 30% are awarded sole or primary custody?
> >
> >I don't doubt that in many, or even perhaps most cases, there is a judicial
> >sexual bias against men in custody battles.  I'd just like to see the stats
> >(comparisons) for this.  If anyone has them, please cite these stats and you
r
> >reference sources.
> 
> 
> Men are dissuaded from pursuing custody, even joint custody, both by
> court officials and their own attorneys.  Attorneys are not willing to
> fight for something they cannot deliver.  Most men do NOT have the
> money to pay for an expensive court battle to merely achieve what they
> should be awarded by default.  For a comprehensive analysis of the
> reality of the custody situation, based on one of the most thorough
> studies ever conducted on this topic (which discusses this phenomenon),
> see
> 
> "Dividing the Child:  Social & Legal Dilemmas of Custody"
> by Mnookin and Maccoby
>  
> ISBN:  0-674-21294-0
> Harvard Press
> 
> Aaron L. Hoffmeyer
> TR@CBNEA.ATT.COM 

This is truth!  My lawyer has told me unless my ex2b is a drug abuser or a
child beater there is no chance of custody.  In addition he said I should go
elsewhere for a lawyer if I want to pursue a custody battle.               

A basic divorce should cost about $1500.00 to $3500.00.  The sky is the
limit for a custody battle.

One comment though, the disscusion seems to centering on gender basis,
however I have been told that the court considers itself to be the adovcate
for the child, and will do what is best for the child, or at least what it
believes to be the best.  Both parents maybe capable of raising the child,
but which one is best?  Being capable may not be enough.  We maybe faced
with a more subtle distinction here then simple gender basis.

It was my post that started this thread, "Child Custody to Father?" about a
week ago.  I must admit I am pleased with the quality of the thread, and I
will look for the book you referenced, I am going to need hard/published
facts.

Bob Clarke

--
Bob Clarke, user of the UniBoard System @ actcnews.res.utc.com
E-Mail: Bob.Clarke%bbs@actcnews.res.utc.com
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