Water on Stone: a Perspective on the Movement To Eliminate Gender Bias in the Courts (From Proceedings of the National Conference on Gender Bias in the Courts, P 5-11, 1990, Dixie K Knoebel and Marilyn McCoy Roberts, eds. -- See NCJ-128028)

• NCJ Number: 128029
• Author(s): N J Wikler
• Date Published: 1990
• Length: 7 pages
• Sale Source: National Ctr for State Courts; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Type: Historical Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Task forces focusing on the elimination of gender bias in the courts have made considerable progress in recent years and offer a promising approach to further judicial reform in this area.

Abstract

In the late 1970's gender bias was rarely a subject of discussion, and the existing and widespread gender bias was therefore virtually invisible. However, female lawyers' direct observations of judicial gender bias were documented by the social scientists and legal researchers. Subsequently, the National Association of Women Judges was formed and decided to cosponsor, with the National Organization for Women Legal Defense and Education Fund, the National Judicial Education Program To Promote Equality for Women and Men in the Courts. A dramatic burgeoning of task forces has followed. These task forces have documented problems and proposed a wide range of reforms. Their future efforts offer great promise, provided that the task forces do not excessively broaden their focus, view their reports as the end rather than the beginning of their efforts, and focus mainly on the problems of female lawyers and courtroom interactions. 7 reference notes