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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Why aren't there more female judges in Family Court?

18 replies

NameWithChange · 08/01/2018 00:45

Anyone know the figures? What percentages of judges are female? Are there even any?

Surely it should be essential there are a decent percentage of female ones in Family Court, the only ones I have come across are male and seem to have no idea at all of the complexities of the issues facing a female raising children/working/contact issues/emotional support etc. Apologies to males out there - I know there are similar in this shitty position but I think the majority left trying to cope with it all are female.

OP posts:
Julie8008 · 08/01/2018 00:52

Its an awfully full on job to cope with and have a family. Its easy to say we should have it all, not quite so practical to actually do.

NameWithChange · 08/01/2018 00:52

Sorry, should read AIBU to think these statistics are so way off in such an important area?

OP posts:
NameWithChange · 08/01/2018 00:54

Surely when judgements are made that have such an impact on family life, a female with an idea of the pressures and stress of working and raising a family would have valuable input in the decision making process?

OP posts:
RestingGrinchFace · 08/01/2018 00:57

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TheCrossKeys · 08/01/2018 01:51

Brown women!? Did I fucking read that right!? Shock

And women who have high level careers postbaby don't have a clue about family life...

Jesus fucking Christ, Grinch, is it still 1970 underneath your rock?

NeandathalWoman · 08/01/2018 01:53

My DP went to family court & Divorce court with his ex and the man was strongly in favour of the woman from the get go regardless of the circumstances.

NewYearNiki · 08/01/2018 02:01

Surely when judgements are made that have such an impact on family life, a female with an idea of the pressures and stress of working and raising a family would have valuable input in the decision making process?

No!

What on earth do you think lawyers and judges are there for?!

Interpet the law, achieve the best settlement or to be their therapist, life coach?

DonnyAndVladSittingInATree · 08/01/2018 02:10

Why aren’t there more females in all high earning, power wielding jobs? The answer is the same. The menz don’t want them there.

quitToday · 08/01/2018 02:11

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quitToday · 08/01/2018 02:15

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DonnyAndVladSittingInATree · 08/01/2018 02:32

Really, the menz.

Nope, never saw it.

You tell me why there aren’t more females in high earning jobs? Must because women don’t like money, right?

quitToday · 08/01/2018 07:35

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Cactusjelly00 · 08/01/2018 07:40

Why would a female judge who does the same job, did the same training and likely has a similar life to a male judge have anymore idea about the challenges a woman who's had all of it dumped on her faces?
I wouldn't know that (I'm female) anymore than DH would.
That's not to say I couldn't sympathise, but I'm not sure anybody else with a degree of
Common sense and some thoughtfulness couldn't sympathise!

Wellysocksbox · 08/01/2018 07:44

I know a female family court judge and she's absolutely lovely. She is married with two kids. One thing she does say, however, is that she can't book holiday at the drop of a hat as this affects the hearings, so the job isn't as flexible as some other jobs.

TeachesOfPeaches · 08/01/2018 07:55

I've been going to family court for the past year and I've had two pale, male and stale judges and one Asian and one Caucasian female judge. I am in London though so when there's magistrates there have been a mix of white and black men and women also.

Maybe it's the area you live in.

Eltonjohnssyrup · 08/01/2018 07:58

Sorry, can't take anybody who uses the word 'microaggression' seriously.

A lot of that fall is due to women who choose to give up work completely or those on lower wages who don't return at and and because of those who go part time. That gap is never going to really change unless you take that choice away from women. Which is also sexist.

Catsize · 08/01/2018 08:11

From a report on the Bar Standards Board website, relating to barristers in general....

  1. The current data the Bar Standards Board holds on women in the profession shows that in 2015, 33.5% of the self-employed profession were women. This has increased from 32% in the 6 years since 2010. Of employed barristers, in 2015 45.8% of employed barristers were female. This proportion is higher than for the self-employed Bar. The BSB Equality and Diversity Committee has particularly highlighted the rate of access and progression in the profession as a concern – only 15% of heads of chambers and 13% of QCs are women, considerably lower than the proportion of women across the profession as a whole.

The study also shows that the proportion of women decreases with seniority, as expected.

I know that Solicitors can become judges too, but these stats give some idea of the reasoning behind the divide in male/female judges. Try looking at the stats in crime - even more depressing.

Me264 · 08/01/2018 08:30

There is a higher proportion of female judges in the County Courts, where very many divorce cases are heard. That will make no difference to the outcome as judges, male or female, are obliged to follow the same law!

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