April 30, 2007
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The Courts
I was listening to the radio this morning and they were talking about Alec Baldwin.
He recently yelled at his daughter on her voice mail and called her a “thoughtless little pig.” That voice mail was played all over in the media.
On the program this morning they were talking about two issues related to Alec Baldwin. They were talking about a video that was playing on funnyordie.com where Alec Baldwin was yelling at Dora The Explorer. Here is that video: Link
They were also talking about Alec Baldwin’s interview on the show The View. On the show he indicated that the courts were biased against men. Here is the link of that video: Link
On the radio program, they mentioned how last Friday they played the tape where Alec Baldwin felt that the courts were biased against men. The DJ’s on the program mentioned that a ton of men called in and said that in divorce cases and custody cases that the courts were biased against men.
In divorce cases and custody cases, are the courts biased against men?
Comments (89)
I think so, yes.
sometimes they are, but i guess women have the paternal thing as an advantage
Probably.
Yes, but that still doesn’t excuse his idiocy in the way he treated his daughter.
yes, courts are biased against men. However, women as a rule usually want to keep the kids more, so I don’t blame the courts for leaning more towards women.
On that I can agree with him. The courts are VERY biased against men. In cases where the mother has been proven unfit, the courts will still give custody to the mother.
**dathutmeballs, I think you mean MAternal. PAternal is “fatherly.”
**BAM, I agree. It doesn’t excuse his abuse towards his daughter.
Ask any lawyer/judge, and most will agree that the courts are traditionally biased towards the mother.
Nope, because 20 years ago, my father got primary custody of me. My mother was perfectly “fit” to provide for me.
Yes. The courts need to adjust to current living conditions. The mother is not always the one who stays home, and the man isn’t always the highest bread winner. It should always be handled case by case, and not just awarding automatically to the mother just for being the mother. The father, in my opinion, gets the shit end of the stick when it comes to divorces and custody.
However, women as a rule usually want to keep the kids more
All assumptions (and a bit of BS), and you can’t decide the fate of a child’s life on assumptions.
As for Baldwin, this is again why I despise the media. Why did this have to be national news? He insulted his child, pretty low, but still, not newsworthy as parents insult and make fun of their children daily. I’m not saying that it’s a good thing, I’m saying that we don’t have to make it daily drama for the nation.
That’s what Alec Baldwin wants everyone to think…..
I can certainly understand why Kim tries to keep Ireland away from him…..he’s self centered and abusive….and he’s a jerk.
Candy
I think so, at least a little bit. But a lot of thsoe decisions are probably in the better itnerest actually.
Several attorneys have told me so. And in most family law cases it is extremely apparent. State laws are biased against men. It is harder for a man to get full custody from a negligent mother than it is for a mother who has the same case against a negligent father.
i hate to say this, but probably yes.
I agree with CrystalTears24.
Women were better and sometimes still are better for the child. If the wife thinks about saying something that might show her husband to be abusive the court might lash out against him.
But I’m not really sure about that….I’ve never been divorced.
Not sure, no man or woman is perfect so how are the courts going to decide who is a better parent? She may have faults and we already know hes been in trouble before. I say the child should go to kim but Alec might be a better parent
Yes, very much so.
Way to distract from the issue, Mr. Baldwin.
I think the courts are a little biased against men, but not without reason. (And no, I’m not a feminist.)
Yeah. Seeing how like 90% of the time, if the mother isn’t some crack whore, the father won’t get the child.
Yes, the courts are biased against men. But that has nothing to do with what he said to his daughter, is no excuse for what he said to his daughter, and is just “look over there!” sort of smokescreen tactic. I watched that interview on the View (*shudder* Not that I normally watch that show), and he was entirely sidestepping the issue of what he said with this vague excuse that the courts and the situation were ruining his relationship with his daughter and he was frustrated.
But that being said, he’s right, the courts are generally biased in that manner.
Well, considering that women get sole custody 72% of the time vs. 9% for men (the rest being joint custody), it appears there is some bias in the system. I think Baldwin is complaining a lot about parental alienation. Although either parent can alienate, it is far more common for the mother to be the person doing the alienating and the man to be the target of the alienation.
Yes, it’s biased, but I believe courts think it’s more likely that the mother will take better care of the child considering that she’s carried it for 9 months. That was discussed in one of my classes before.
yes, there is a bias, although the courts are now working on correcting it. But Baldwin is still a jerk. If he wasn’t so damn funny on 30 Rock, I’d totally avoid looking at him.
id say most are….. the are the few exceptions where the mom could take care of the child but the dad still wins…..although…. thats not that often…..
absolutely.
Oh yeah, definitely. And it can definitely be for the worse.
yes.
That is hard to argue with yes they are.
And that is the last time in my life, I hope I ever agree with that jack ass.
From personal experience, I’d say no. My ex husband is a convicted felon and sex offender and the courts here decided twice to give him joint custody of my children.
I think this issue varies depending on where you live. Three of my friends, all males, have full custody of their children in situations where the mothers are still in the picture. I don’t know if this is the norm or not, though. This is just my experience.
Out of this whole Alec Baldwin thing, as anyone considered that maybe his daughter really is a thoughtless little pig? I had heard the brohaha about the call I thought it must just be awful, but when I actually heard clips from it I was surprised people were making such a big deal out of it. Sure it is unflattering and maybe isn’t the ideal way to parent, but how often do parents get frustrated with the crap their teenage children pull? It sounded like a bunch of empty threats and harsh words, but that’s it, and sometimes that’s all it takes to get a kid to straighten up.
Very.
Yes, the courts are definitely biased. My father was a weekend parent, despite his ex treating my half-sister like garbage. It didn’t matter that the woman abused her daughter, she was the mom.
For your enjoyment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB-RbKbKPs0
I think there is a bias. I have a friend who has been trying to get custody of his daughter for over 2 years. His ex-girlfriend does drugs, doesn’t have a job, and lives with several men on and off. While living with her their daughter, who is 5, has missed almost 70% of her school days simply because her mom did not take her. How can that possibly be what is best for the child? The dad is married to a nice lady, has a good job, owns his own home, is finishing up his degree, doesn’t do drugs…it just doesn’t make any sense. It should be a no-brainer.
Well, my lawyer says they’re not anymore. And, I know in Virginia, the courts are now less likely to give the child to the mother just because she’s the mother, which is too bad for me right now.
Yes and it sucks
Who Cares….
historically and socially yes…
NO, The Court system, in Hudson County NJ is all for the Fathers!
I feel its best to work it out between yourselves in a divorce instead of going to court, Just get every thing down in writing – the Court system in General Sucks Big Time !
Depends on who you ask. The courts are supossed to go by ‘best interest of the child’, but how is that determined? Age and wishes of the child, ‘significant contact’, extended contact. Ask any mother (like myself) who has gone through an extended custody battle (and most are extended because both attorneys will drag it out until they’ve milked every penny from both parties) and she will tell you that the courts are biased against women. The lawyers are telling both parties that the courst are biased against them because that’s what gets them more money. In a divorce, the man is typically better off financially and can hire a better attorney while a woman is lucky to even get an attorney (it’s not like you get a public defender in a civil case).
Women get custody 90% of the time because men only seek custody 10% of the time. Men are typically averse to the extra responsibilities attached to single parenthood, but the money they shell out for the ex-wife to manage could be (in their minds) better spent on a nanny.
I speak only from personal observations based on my own experience. That and four bucks might buy you a coffee at Starbucks…..
Absolutely, try getting divorced in Tennessee.
yes. undoubtedly.
My dad had to work SO hard to get custody of my sister and I, even though he was a residenced Psychiatrist and she was an unemployed alcoholic.
In the divorce 11-9 years ago (it took two years) he had to fight false rape accusations & pay for her attorney in the civil and criminal proceedings. Ludicrous!
Now that I actually think about, yeah the courts are biased against men
The courts are biased against men…but only because most don’t want full custody.
yep bias court…seen far to many divorces to think otherwise, especially when the mother refuses to acknowledge she is on a persciption for a mental disorder…but she still got the kids…
ohhh yeah i forgot
FUCK ALL BALDWINS!!!!
YES, unequivocally.
Yep. If a woman has had custody taken away you know she is one heck of a dirtbag.
I’ve heard worse than that from my parents.
What a weak kid.
There was a time the courts were in favor of men. . .
but now I’d say that yeah, the courts are in favor of women. . .
That Dora video was nothing short of AMAZING. <3
XD I want to call Dora up and cuss her out sometime. Alec, you sly devil, how do you get such opportunities?
I am a paralegal for a divorce attorney. I think for the most part the courts do try to be fair and impartial while determining the assignment of the custodial parent in a custody case, that said, there is a strong presumption that the parent who has been the primary caretaker of the children will be the “best” custodial parent, and often the primary caretaker is the woman.
We have many many dads here in the office with full physical custody of their kids, but in every case the father had to prove in no uncertain terms that it was him who cared for the kids, bathed them, fed them, made sure they had their lunch in the morning, helped with homework, patched up scraped knees, etc etc. However, many noncustodial parents will have joint legal custody of their children with their spouse, and, obviously, visitation.
While historically the courts did often rule in favor of the mother in custody cases for no other reason than “children need their mother” for the most part, they have evolved just as society has. Granted, it usually takes the court system a little longer than society to change, and I’m sure that there are areas (i.e. rural parts of utah) where the judges don’t make the informed decision that they should, however, this is what the court appeals process has been put in place to combat.
yes
of course.
when men start pushing out babies then it’ll be equal XD
probably…some women suck @ being moms…
I feel bad for Alec…i think Kim Basinger is a wench. He’s probably been through so much the past 7 years with that custody battle…his daughter has been brainwashed…
sometime. it really just depends on the judge and the lawyers involved. occassionally it might actually come dow to what is actually best for the child.
Yes.
Sometimes.
i’ve always heard that even though it hasn’t been my personal experience. i heard the rant thing mentioned, it sounds like a parent reprimanding a child who has repeatedly done something, not too out of the ordinary.
maybe.. but after hearing that message on the new, id say they were right in his case.
BOOM!!! ha ha
Daniel (doubledb)
Maybe they’re biased against men who call their young daughters thoughtless little pigs.
There’ve been survey results that show mothers are favored over fathers in custody cases, so, yes.
probably..i can understand what he’s probably feeling.. he acted immature but i cant imagine getting rejected by your own kid..plus him getting to talk to her on the phone was part of the agreement
talk to him*
No. The courts were very good to my father, even after he practically abandoned my mother, sister and I for three years. And he still managed to blow it.
Completely.
I wouldn’t know, I’ve never really observed a divorce case or anything like that.
I would imagine that they might be, but I really have no opinion.
yes yes they are in family court. *shrug*
Yes, definitely, no matter what the woman does, if the woman destroys the marriage, she still gets the kids unless she is mentally insane, then the kids go through the foster care system.
Yes, but I am biased against Alec Baldwin.
when they should be they are not. in this case i hope they will be.
the baldwin brothers are all pretty screwed up. all i can say is that kim basinger must have felt pretty desperate to let that vm leak. she has yet to comment on the whole issue, if she has link me, but Alec Baldwin just oozes ABUSIVE asshole.
I wouldn’t say so. My father won custody of my brother and me. Then again, my mom WAS in jail for crack possession…
I think the women get the children in a lot of the cases. It’s probably better that way anyway, since most of the time it’s only the men who are working anyway.
OH yep
Yes, but not without Just Cause
It’s a possibility.
I think they would be.
yes they are, i have been told point blank (by my attorney when i went through my divorce) that they are
probably, but this is so not the point here. What he said was so awful. It was so much more than those words. It sounded like he wanted to kill her. “you’ll never do that again to me….I’ll make sure of that” HOW? it was awful. How despicable that we allow him to continue in his denial, and thus help all such agner- adicts continue taking out their problems on others. Very sick.
no they are not… in cases of finances they are the opposite… in cases of custody – that entirelly depends on the situation and what the comunity standards of fit and unfit are… if the father earns marginally more and already has a gf (prolly the same one who caused the divorse in the first place) and the woman is alone – the child is more likelly to go to the father.
CUZ most men/husbands/dads are jerks, they don’t care for their children as much as women do (except you Dan). Go figure, they didn’t have to carry the “blob” around for nine months!
That jerk Alec, I can’t wait for him to move out of the country the second time. The first time he threatened to move to the UK if the President had won the election. The President had indeed, and the jerk is still around
they are biased. but unintentionally. women are generally less abusive and better equipped to be single parents. throughout history it’s been plainly obvious that we’ve been better adapted to parenting and the skills necessary, as well as being more emotionally and mentally capapble then men. it’s said that that bias is used as a blanket statement for al cases, but precedents have their point.
YES!!! Certainly and totally. They feel that women are the helpless ones and they need to steal money from the man’s salary for the woman. Well, what if he’s a stay-at-home-dad?
And so what if he yelled at his daughter? Parents are allowed to yell at their kids. Parents have emotions and tempers too. It happens. It’s not a big deal.
Absolutely!! The courts tend to think the mother is automatically the better choice for a child, but that’s not always true.
I think both parents should be given the same opportunity by the courts.
yes!
yes they are biased against boys because they have coooooooooooties!
Hello, you had a blog very nice. Where are you from?
In nearly every aspect, the legal system is biased towards men.
In agreement with ChrisRusso’s comment. Lisa
Yes. My mother drank, did drugs, and was a prostitute yet the court still gave me and my sisters over to my Mom while my dad was pleading and finding any way possible to get us. And we wanted to go to our dad, but the courts must’ve thought we were stupid or somethings because they waited two years before they asked us. x.x