Is there gender bias in family-law cases?

Carey Linde
Vancouver family lawyer

"There is an inherent bias in the system. Any man that has gone through the system will laugh at the suggestion that there is no gender bias. Every family lawyer who is in the business knows that there is gender bias. It's only the law society and defenders-of-the-victim feminists”¦who stand up and deny all of this."

Susan Boyd
UBC law professor

"My view would be that if anything, it's gender bias against women and mothers as much as it might be against fathers. Actually, I did a study with a research group and some students, a sample of child-custody cases from across Canada.”¦We didn't find any gender bias against fathers."

Grace Choi
Chair, Vancouver family-law section, Canadian Bar Association

"Personally, I think the judges try very hard not to have those kind of biases. I think that it's very difficult to make sweeping generalizations because everything is so fact-specific. I mean, in my experience, courts are trying–in child-related issues–to keep the status quo."

Jeff Goreski
Father of a seven-year-old son

"I guess I feel lucky that I came out with a very equal arrangement with my son's mom, and now we have a great coparenting arrangement and my son is thriving. But I really did have to be careful and stake my ground. I do see that there is definitely a strong female bias in the court system. We have to change that."

Georgialee Lang
Vancouver family lawyer

"I think in past years, men have really been shafted by the British Columbia courts and courts right across Canada. I don't think there is gender bias. I think there is so much legal history and precedent.”¦We have to remember there was a time when there was a 'tender years' doctrine–children must go with their mother."