No, absolutely not. This expression – mother state – is a reference to what we call the maternal preference doctrine, which was the past tendency of the Courts to favor a mother over a father in child custody cases. This was abolished years ago. However, the Magistrates and Judges that decide child custody cases are human, each with their own set of viewpoints. That being said, some lawyers may claim that certain Courts in Maryland – perhaps in more conservative jurisdictions – tend to be more aligned with mothers than fathers. However, I can honestly say that I do not seen any inherent alignment. I see good Magistrates and Judges making the best decisions they can based upon the evidence, and not based upon gender.