I read Marian Henriquez Neudel’s article about child custody (Aug. 22) with considerable shock and dismay. I don’t know where she gets her figures about fathers winning 60 percent of contested cases, but that certainly has not been my experience in 15 years of law practice.
I agree with her that fathers usually do not contest custody. In some cases it is because they don’t want custody. But in many cases it is simply because they know they have a low chance of winning a custody battle unless the mother has obviously severe problems. The unwritten rule in the courts is that you give the mother custody unless there is a very good reason not to.
This rampant and insidious discrimination against fathers is well known to domestic law practitioners. Well known, but not discussed honestly and openly. To do so would offend these judges who are guilty of the discrimination.
