Too many women magistrates

redmanjp · Postby **redmanjp** » March 27th, 2018, 2:07 pm

http://newsday.co.tt/2018/03/24/too-many-women-magistrates-angers-attorney/

Saturday 24 March 2018 Newsday

Too many women magistrates angers attorney
AZARD ALI

THERE are 31 female and ten male magistrates and this fact has incurred the wrath of an attorney who has lodged a complain, perceiving it as a judicial imbalance.

Sex representation is important in dispensing justice, attorney Stephen Boodram stated in a letter to the Assembly of Southern Lawyers (ASL). He stated that there is a need for the judiciary to perform a balancing act among the sexes in as far as the appointment of magistrates are concerned.

Boodram, in his letter addressed to ASL’s vice president Giri Dalbary, pointed out that out of a total of 56 magistrates’, only six are males. An online check on the judiciary’s website showed that there are 41 magistrates of which 31 are women. In the last two years, all of the appointments to the magisterial bench have been female.

Boodram, an attorney who practises in the civil courts, stated, “I call upon the assembly to take steps to bring to the relevant authorities the need to perform a balancing act with the sexes in the appointment of magistrates so as to increase the number of males on the lower bench. Perhaps we need to start by enquiring what was the total number of males applying for the position of magistrates over the last five years.

Boodram expressed the view in his letter that sex representation is a necessary part of democratic life. And since men make up a meagre part of the magisterial bench, he added, it maybe perceived by male prisoners that they are not being treated fairly by female judges. He referred to an incident several years ago in which deceased Dana Seetahal SC who was once a magistrate, had told a defendant to “take your hands off your balls”. Boodram said that it has been the experience among many attorneys that female magistrates need to temper their anger a bit when adjudicating in cases involving male accused and female victims. Contacted yesterday, Boodram said that his letter reflects the views of many attorneys he discussed the matter with. In fact, he added, they have pointed out that Trinidad and Tobago is fast becoming a female-dominated society. “Attorneys have told me that we have a female president, the president of the senate is a female, the house speaker as well, all of the high court registrars, the solicitor general is a female, and ninety per cent of the magistrates. There are five high court registrars in San Fernando and all are females. That is not democracy, “ Boodram said.

Dizzy28 · Postby **Dizzy28** » March 27th, 2018, 2:19 pm

^ Sexism only exists when women are disenfranchised.

redmanjp · Postby **redmanjp** » March 27th, 2018, 2:48 pm

what about family/divorce court?

hydroep · Postby **hydroep** » March 27th, 2018, 4:16 pm

Womantra and those of similar ilk will probably castigate him for being a misogynist...

Gem_in_i · Postby **Gem_in_i** » March 28th, 2018, 6:51 am

But why is this an issue

silent_riot · Postby **silent_riot** » March 28th, 2018, 7:13 am

Is he saying that they are too harsh? But ent the general public wants even harsher penalties for criminals?
What he should focus on is the overall number of magistrates and whether that is suited to our criminal situation, and the backlog of cases that exists.

The_Honourable · Postby **The_Honourable** » March 28th, 2018, 11:12 am

I'm surprised Mr Boodram mentioned this at all. Stories like this goes against the narrative that women are not succeeding in male dominated fields, especially in Trinidad.

More men coming out in the open and speaking about male issues is a very good thing. It means that men's back are getting hard and starting to handle female criticism.

not_a_monkey · Postby **not_a_monkey** » March 28th, 2018, 11:47 am

How is being a female magistrate different from being a male magistrate?

ADONI · Postby **ADONI** » March 28th, 2018, 12:29 pm

Too many Male Wackermen...

Joshie23 · Postby **Joshie23** » March 28th, 2018, 1:46 pm

ADONI wrote:Too many Male Wackermen...

Who else go look for them young gyal to cut dey bush :?:

redmanjp · Postby **redmanjp** » March 28th, 2018, 7:15 pm

not_a_monkey wrote:How is being a female magistrate different from being a male magistrate?

possible bias especially in cases involving male defendants & female victims

redmanjp · Postby **redmanjp** » March 28th, 2018, 7:17 pm

silent_riot wrote:Is he saying that they are too harsh? But ent the general public wants even harsher penalties for criminals?
What he should focus on is the overall number of magistrates and whether that is suited to our criminal situation, and the backlog of cases that exists.

And since men make up a meagre part of the magisterial bench, he added, it maybe perceived by male prisoners that they are not being treated fairly by female judges.

burkmenistan · Postby **burkmenistan** » April 8th, 2018, 3:41 pm

sexist ass.

redmanjp · Postby **redmanjp** » April 8th, 2018, 4:23 pm

burkmenistan wrote:sexist ass.

If there were too many male magistrates wouldn't there be an outcry by women? I thought it was about equality?

burkmenistan · Postby **burkmenistan** » April 9th, 2018, 3:07 pm

So what? you not one of them men's rights faggots?

burkmenistan · Postby **burkmenistan** » April 9th, 2018, 3:10 pm

Dizzy28 wrote:^ Sexism only exists when women are disenfranchised.

well your views on gender are pretty uneducated.

or will you tell me "don't judge me!!" lol. your autistic ass no nutten. where do you expect people not to judge you, Ms. man? most grown adults, which you clearly aren't, will have you for toast.

ruffneck_12 · Postby **ruffneck_12** » April 10th, 2018, 10:20 am

This might be good doh.

Men take pity on women. So they'll get lesser penalties.
(think of divorce courts, who gets shafted more?)

But then again. A female magistrate would give in to feminist rhetoric and do the same goddamn thing, maybe even worse.

What allyuh think? I brainstorming here