John Griffin's View On Divorce

John Griffin has some well thought out views of divorce he put together in a this video - Exiled: The Real Impact of Divorce on Men.

Griffin articulately states what everyone should agree with. The reason they do not is money. Money for the lawyers, judge, and litigants who believe they can get more than they deserve. 

Divorce Corp.- Still The Best Expose on Corruption

 Divorce Corp. is still the best expose on corruption in the divorce industry. 

The Corruption Of Politics

I'm not a Trump fan. Never was and never will be. I think he is the most corrupt president and his administration is the most corrupt we have ever had. Not only is Trump corrupt, he is openly, even farcically, corrupt. Much like our judicial system, especially family court. 

It never ceases to amaze me how judges and politicians can openly commit crimes and get away with them. Why is that? In politics, although nor really applicable to the judiciary, one reason may be that people are often willing to tolerate bad behavior because there are aspects of the person which they like. What do people like about Trump? He is supremely self-confident, he never backs down and is, frankly, a bully. People want their leader to be tough. 

There is a lesson here for Democrats.  Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris and even, my governor Tim Walz are not unflappable and seemed weak debating Trump and Vance. They were emotional and nervous. Note that Bill Clinton and Barack Obama were never nervous. 

If the Democrats want to win the next presidential election they need to find a candidate who is supremely confident and unflappable. They also need someone who, like Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, is moderate, especially on social issues. 

It might seem surprising that I am talking politics on this site but the reality is we do not have much hope in rooting out corruption in the judiciary if we keep electing people who are corrupt. 

Cracks In The Wall Of Sexism - At Least In Denmark

Military conscription has been one of the most persistent areas of sexism but for Denmark this is changing. 

Danish women now face being called up for 11 months of military service when they turn 18, after a change in the law came into effect.

Under new rules passed by Denmark's parliament, women are to join teenage males in a lottery system that could require them to undertake a period of conscription.

The change was brought in as Nato countries boost defence spending amid heightened security concerns in Europe.

Up to now, women were allowed to participate in military service when they turned 18, but on a voluntary basis.

It always seems like the Scandinavian countries are the leaders when it comes to equality. 

Do Men and Women Judge Attractiveness Differently?

Do Men and Women Judge Attractiveness Differently?

I'm not too sure on this as I do not see their sources and these types of social science studies are often very poorly done and very often not reproducible. Furthermore, even when the studies are well done researchers tend to interpret the results to support their own biases.  

But I find it interesting because of the interpretations. 

Basically the claim is the attractiveness of a woman to a man is based on her physical attractiveness alone. How she dresses and her circumstances do not figure into it. Women, on the other hand ,view men who appear wealthy as being more attractive. 

Whether this is true or not, it is interesting to think of people's reaction to it. Like my friends.

I have one female friend who is borderline anti-male. She basically views life as men exploiting  women. If she had not seen the results of the study I am pretty sure she would have thought the wealthier looking woman would have been less attractive as she would be considered a threat by the man. With the results, she would think men are shallow and only care about looks. 

I honestly doubt there are many men who would not think status and wealth make a man more attractive but I have met men who, seeing the results, would state that women only care about money. Period. Which of course is wrong. 

I wish more people had an interest in and a better understanding of science. Maybe then they could better sort fact from opinion. 

Family Court Corruption

Here is a great video about family court corruption in Texas. The same is true for my state of Minnesota. 

Louise Perry On Dating

Louise Perry is a British journalist and author best known as a reactionary feminist which means she advocates for conservative traditional gender roles and values. 

There any many, many areas I disagree with Perry on but her views are interesting. 

In a discussion with Chris Williamson, she opines on the difficulties with dating for younger people. In her view, one the the major problems is woman filtering online dating applications to only select men who are far taller than average and with a much larger income that average. Essentially they are pre-selecting out many men who, if they had actually met, might have been happy with. 

Disadvantage Men

It is often difficult to talk about disadvantages men have in society because we are so used to dealing with women being disadvantaged. The reality is that both are disadvantaged in different areas. And the trend has clearly been that men are becoming more disadvantaged as Richard Reeves explains in a book and video. 

One clear example of this is that when title IX was passed in 1972 there was a 13% college education gap in favor of men. Now it is 15% in favor of women. 

Other areas we see men disadvantaged is in are the draft and military deaths, workplace injuries and deaths and, as this site often talks about, alimony. 98+% of alimony payers are men. Often even in cases where custody is joint or the father has custody. 

No Kings

I don't mention politics much on this site but I have made it pretty clear I am no fan of Donald Trump. Why? Because the corruption I see on our legal system, especially family law, is the exactly the type of corruption Trump loves. He wants to be treated as above the law just like so many lawyers and judges I have encountered. 

Last week Trump held his long desired military/birthday parade in Washington D.C. which was sparsely attended while the same day millions marched in No Kings events across the country.  I was one of those people. 

The march I attended in St. Paul, Minnesota was a bit surreal as earlier that morning a state legislator, Melissa Hortman and her husband were assassinated in their home by Vance Luther Boelter, a right wing nut job, posing as a police officer. Earlier Boelter shot a state senator and his wife multiple times at their home. As Boelter was still at large at the time of the No Kings protests, law enforcement advised people not to attend the protests and nearly all were cancelled.  The advice was warranted considering a list of 50 or so democrats as well as No Kings documents were found in Boelter's vehicle. 

I know of at least dozen people who did not attend the protest due to the warnings but S, one of my sons and I went anyway. So did 25,000 other Minnesotans.  

The best part of the protest were the signs people carried. Here are a few:

And my favorite:

Class Action Lawsuits

Wired has an article on how much money you can make by joining every class action lawsuit you can. My sister does this and make a bit of money off it. Sure it isn't a huge amount of money but $10 or $50 or even $100 dollars every now and then helps. 

The lawyers however can make millions. Indeed many firms specialize in filing the cases just to get a settlement. One that includes a small amount of money for the purported victims and massive amounts of money for the lawyers. The companies sued often settle simply to avoid endless and costly litigation. 

We live in a very weird, and very litigious, society. 

Perjury In Family Court

Interesting video - What to do when the other side lies in court (commits perjury) from Attorney Brian Thomas Mayer. He is honest about just how much perjury occurs in family court. 

Divorce Laws Trends

The trend in divorce laws has been mixed. Some states have put limits on alimony, especially lifetime alimony, but other states have made the divorce process more complicated and prolonged. And thus more expensive. 

The real issue is when people, often on the advise of their attorney, seek to garner financial gain for themselves through perjury, false accusations and innuendos. Most the issues in family court would be solved if the courts would simply enforce current law. Punish people who commit perjury and convict lawyers who commit fraud. 

For men—particularly those who are fathers—these potential legal changes could carry serious consequences. 

Financial Risks 

If fault is reintroduced as a primary divorce requirement, it may shift how courts handle spousal support, asset division, and legal costs. Accusations of fault could be used strategically, putting men in a defensive position even in amicable separations. 

Custody Concerns 

Men often already face biases in child custody battles. If courts begin tying fault to parental fitness, fathers could be unfairly penalized based on vague or subjective evidence. This is especially concerning in high-conflict divorces or those involving accusations designed to influence custody outcomes. 

Legal Complexity 

The simplicity of no-fault divorce allows men who want to peacefully exit their marriages to do so with dignity. Rolling back that option would likely increase the cost, time, and emotional strain involved in divorce—placing more burden on those who may already be at a disadvantage. 

Justice By Omission

Published on Medium today Justice by Omission: How Family Court Covers Up Its Failures.

Ask your local court system for the following:

• How many protective orders were later dismissed as false or unproven?
• What percentage of custody decisions are reversed on appeal?
• How often does the same judge deny motions from one party while granting all motions for the other?
• How many parents are alienated from their children for more than six months?
• How many unrepresented litigants lose custody without ever getting a trial?

You won’t get answers. Not because the data is unclear — but because it’s never been collected.

Lack of data collection is a systematic issue with family court. At one point I tried very hard to just find out how often permanent alimony was awarded but ran into a dead end. I even engaged my local state senator's office but the issue was that the data was simply not recorded. 

I also tried to find out how many family law lawyers have ever been convicted of fraud upon the court. This, however, was easier to find out. Zero. Despite it being one of only three crimes in the state without a statute of limitations. 

Our court system, especially family court, is far more corrupt than most people realize. 

Interesting Case

 I ran across an interesting perspective on a divorce in Substack the other day.

It’s a modern caste structure with a velvet gavel. A system that strips the better, kinder, more emotionally grounded parent of everything—reputation, income, child, even identity—and hands it all to the one who plays the role of victim best.

And those of us who challenge it?

We’re punished. Silenced. Financially ruined. Emotionally destroyed. We are the Peters of the world—robbed daily, not just by Paul, but by a pipeline of professionals feeding on our grief.

Family court is no longer a place of justice. It is a place of revenue. A bureaucratic theater where the judge plays God, the attorneys act as gatekeepers, and your child becomes a prize to be hoarded, leveraged, or auctioned off to the more persuasive side.

And persuasion, in this system, isn’t truth. It’s money. It’s power. It’s manipulation.

AI Lawyers

I've been reading a science fiction book written by a former colleague which, in part,  explores the impact of AI on society.  This got me thinking about our legal system which led me to an article in Forbes,  Risk Or Revolution: Will AI Replace Lawyers?

The article concludes:

While concerns about AI’s limitations persist, the consensus is clear: AI-driven services like Capita can make legal services more affordable and accessible without replacing human oversight.

Lening’s perspective challenges the future role of lawyers: "Automation isn’t about replacing judgment. It’s about freeing lawyers to focus on what humans do best: empathy, ethics, and innovation. The future isn’t AI versus lawyers—it’s lawyers with AI."

Personally I believe the more AI replaces human lawyers the better, cheaper and more equitable our legal system will become. Much of the problem with out legal system is due to lawyers maximizing their income over justice. This has led to the legal system becoming a major, if not the major, source if crime in the United States. 

I would trust AI to follow the law over human lawyers any day. 

FDIA aka Munchausen Syndrome

I have never heard of Factitious disorder imposed on another (FDIA), also know as Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSbP), before. FDIA occurs when a caregiver creates the appearance of health problems in another person – typically their child. 

Interestingly more than 90% of cases of FDIA involve a person's mother. Why is not known. You could argue that mothers are more often the caregivers or that mothers are more often non-working than fathers. But I wonder how much if it involves false allegations in divorce proceedings. It is pretty common for a parent, especially a mother, to claim that a father's behavior or even presence adversely affects the child's mental health. 

Sorry to say but I have seen it first hand. My ex-wife tried to claim that the kids were scared of me which was quite ridiculous. The reality is they always had a much better relationship with me than their mother and in fact moved  in with me full times as quickly as they possibly could. 

Garry Kasparov On Democracy

Chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov who left the Russia n 2013 due to his opposition to Vladimir Putin and later founded the Renew Democracy Initiative, sees striking similarities between the rise of Putin in Russia and Trump in the United States. Not in personalities as they are clearly different but in their determination to change their respective countries from democracies to oligarchies. 

"Look, it's - as you said, is America is a democracy, but democracy is not an insurance. Democracy, the way I see it, is more like an instrument that helps you to protect the constitutional order. Back to Russia, Putin's Russia, and, of course, Russian democracy was very feeble. It's no comparison to American institutions that are nearly 250 years old, I can recognize. You destroy the state control powers and you start privatizing them. Some people have power because of the proximity to power. That's a real danger. That's oligarchy. So that's why the Trump-Musk regime is trying to form a classical oligarchy where people who control wealth directly make decisions that concern millions and millions of American citizens, circumventing the other elected bodies."

Romantic Men

 Contrary to the stereotype, men are more romantic than women. 

Women are often viewed as more romantic than men, and romantic relationships are assumed to be more central to the lives of women than to those of men. Despite the prevalence of these beliefs, some recent research paints a different picture. Using principles and insights based on the interdisciplinary literature on mixed-gender relationships, we advance a set of four propositions relevant to differences between men and women and their romantic relationships. We propose that relative to women: (a) men expect to obtain greater benefits from relationship formation and thus strive more strongly for a romantic partner, (b) men benefit more from romantic relationship involvement in terms of their mental and physical health, (c) men are less likely to initiate breakups, and (d) men suffer more from relationship dissolution. We offer theoretical explanations based on differences between men and women in the availability of social networks that provide intimacy and emotional support. We discuss implications for friendships in general and friendships between men and women in particular.

No surprise to me. But then again I am hopelessly romantic. 

The New Marriage of Unequals

Along the lines of my post from two weeks ago on women and marriage, The Atlantic has an article on women marrying less educated men. 

Once upon a time, it was fairly common for highly educated men in the United States to marry less-educated women. But beginning in the mid-20th century, as more women started to attend college, marriages seemed to move in a more egalitarian direction, at least in one respect: A greater number of men and women started partnering up with their educational equals. That trend, however, appears to have stalled and even reversed in recent years. Gaps in educational experience among heterosexual couples are growing again. And this time? It’s women who are “marrying down.”

Researchers debate whether marriage between educational equals—homogamy—is on the decline. But one thing is clear: The phenomenon of women marrying men with less education than themselves, what academics call “hypogamy,” is on the rise. In fact, women are now more likely to marry a less-educated man than men are to marry a less-educated woman.

The reasons listed in the article are:

• Political divergence - men, especially young men are moving to the right whereas women are more to the left. 
• Love - women's increasing economic security allowing them to marry who they love rather that "a good catch". 
• Availability - Fewer educated men available per educated woman. 

I would add a fourth namely that gender segregation in work. Most plumbers, electricians, carpenters and other skilled trade positions are dominated by men. Such jobs do not require college degrees but are very well paid. 

Law Firms Caving In To Trump

Perhaps not surprisingly several large law firms who  worked for clients President Trump dislikes are caving in to Trump administration pressure and agreeing to $100 million "pro-bono" work for causes he supports. So much for legal ethics. 

I wonder if these firms are thinking at all about how they will be perceived in the future. Germany went through something similar in the early 1930s and firms which aligned with their authoritarian leader did not in the end do so well. Hopefully our country won't go quite so far down the authoritarian path but I suspect that is exactly what the Germans thought nearly a century ago. Time will tell. 

There is some hope however as several law firms are resisting. 

Are Women Giving Up On Marriage?

In a Wall Street Journal article, reporter Rachel Wolfe  explains why women are giving up on marriage. It is an interesting read but it appears to be an opinion piece with few relevant facts. Indeed, one of her key facts - that more men are going to college than women is false and was corrected from the original version.

What we're seeing is that young men are really struggling across a whole host of factors, and they are having a lot more trouble finding paying jobs than they once did. Women, on the other hand, are flourishing, they're just blazing ahead. And so what that means is that women no longer are financially dependent on men to do the things that they want to do in life, including buy houses and have kids. And so more of them are doing it alone. It makes economic sense that if they don't have to settle, they won't. Which is not to say that they don't ever want to get married and find a romantic partner, but it does mean that they don't have to accept something that doesn't meet their standards.

I don't totally disagree with her, but personally I think the main reason women are marrying less is increasing gender equality which allows women who do not have an interest in marrying to not be pressured by society into doing so. And if they want to have a kid on their own, they can manage it both biologically and financially. 

I do not think it is due to a lack of good men. That is a bit silly and sexist. I wonder what Ms. Wolfe's reaction would be to reading an article stating men are marrying less because there just aren't any good women around? 

Crazy Legal System

A recent lawsuit against HP relating to an HP firmware update which prevented their printers from using non-HP ink resulted in a victory for the three litigants. Each was awarded $5000. Their lawyers were awarded $750,000. The award to the lawyers is simply crazy. It clearly shows just how out of control our legal system is. I wish I knew what the true profit margin on the "attorneys’ fees and expenses" was. I'll bet it made up the vast amount although I imagine it was all rolled into the expenses. Just like I have seen in family court. 

Northern California Family Court Corruption

As is the case with most of the country, the family court system in northern California appears to riddled with crime and corruption. 

A 2022 report by California State Auditor Michael S. Tilden exposed widespread corruption within the California State Bar, citing undisclosed conflicts of interest, misappropriation of client funds, and improper handling of judicial complaints. While this report focused on attorneys, the abuses within California’s family courts extend far beyond, affecting countless parents and children trapped in a system designed to extract wealth rather than ensure justice.

Parents in Northern California have come forward with harrowing stories of judicial misconduct, including:

Judges who have been recused continue to issue orders retroactively.

• Children being permanently removed from a parent based on hearsay allegations, without evidence or due process.
• Fraudulent restraining orders issued to manipulate custody arrangements.
• Attorneys engage in abuse of process, coercion, blackmail, and suppression of exculpatory evidence.
• Repeated violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act in family court proceedings.
• Court-appointed minors’ counsels disregard the best interests of children while benefiting from prolonged litigation.
• Children being denied the right to testify, despite legal statutes protecting their ability to do so.
• Secret hearings (“Star Chambers”) that remove children from their parents without notice.
• Systemic bias favoring wealthier litigants who can afford to game the system.

A Great Lawyer Knows The Judge

I was in the elevator at one of my sister's apartment building when a guy came on wearing a sweatshirt with, "A Good Lawyer Knows The Law - A Great Lawyer Knows The Judge" printed on it.

When you think about it, this saying is one of the most cynical sayings about our legal system there is. 

It it is also very true.

Queen Bee Syndrome

I suspect most people think bullies in the workplace are exclusively male. It might be surprising then to learn that over two-thirds of women in the workforce say they have been bullied by other women at work. Such bullies are termed "Queen Bees". 

Labelled ‘Queen Bee Syndrome’, this kind of behaviour arises when women treat their female colleagues in a demoralising manner, either by undermining them or using their social stature to manipulate others into thinking less of them.

The study, which was written by London-based consultant Cecilia Harvey, founder and chair of global showcase platform Tech Women Today, describes Queen Bee Syndrome as the “biggest hindrance to women advancing in the workplace.”

Lifespan - Men vs. Woemn

In the U.S. men live to an average age of 76 whereas women live to an average of 81. Not doubt there are many factors involved in this but one is very likely the amount of stress put on men vs women. And given  alimony payers are 98+ percent men and women are much more likely to be awarded custody of the children in a divorce, it isn't hard to see where a lot of that stress comes from. 

From the linked article:

On the other hand, Griffith says, we know very little about how the economy, stress and other factors affect men's health. He says given men's shorter lifespans, we should be invested in finding out more about this.

RICO in Texas Family Courts

Today I bring you an interesting video on corruption in Texas family Court. It always amazes me just how widespread crime and corruption by the very people who are supposed to the good guys is.

Change.org Petitions

Change.org has a whole page of petitions on Family Courts Corruption.  

The corruption is real and it affects everyone. Men, women, children, and tax payers. Indeed corruption in the family courts system is like a cancer which spreads throughout the legal system and into society generally. The realization that crime does not only pay but pays handsomely is the impetus for much if not most criminal behavior. 

Divorce and Family Law Podcast

Attorney Jonathan Jacobs podcasts about divorce issues, especially in Florida, on Amazon. Note that Florida recently reformed its alimony laws so many of the topics are especially interesting to those who live in states where such reforms have not passed. Check it out. 

The Divorce and Family Law Podcast is brought to you by Jacobs Law Firm. Our divorce podcast is about Florida divorce and Florida family law and marital law all throughout the United States. We talk about relationships, alimony reform, modifications of final judgments, property distribution, equitable distribution, paternity, prenuptial agreements, postnuptial agreements, paternity, father's rights, child support, and child custody. Learn from us and with us as the law continues to evolve. Topics of our family law podcast include Florida family matters, Florida case law, alimony reform, child support modification, child custody modifications, uncontested divorce in Florida, relocation with minor children, domestication, and more. Attorney Jonathan Jacobs of Jacobs Family Law Firm is a Clermont divorce attorney and Winter Park divorce attorney who loves to educate and teach.

Law Firm Advertising

If you think you have seen a lot of advertising for law firms, especially ones involved with litigation, you are correct.  

The nationwide survey shows that trial lawyers and aggregators spend enormous sums of money on television, radio and outdoor advertising to recruit new clients for lawsuits.

“These latest advertising numbers show that plaintiff’s attorneys aren’t slowing down in their relentless pursuit of their next payday,” said American Tort Reform Association President Tiger Joyce. “It is clear that trial lawyers continue to put profits ahead of vulnerable members of our society who are being misled by deceptive ads.”

In 2021, more than 15 million ads for legal services aired on local television broadcast networks in the 210 media markets across the U.S., totaling approximately $971.6 million spent. By comparison, pizza restaurants spent $67.4 million on a mere 845,000 ads while furniture retailers spent $589 million on 4.8 million ads aired on local television broadcast networks. Additionally, trial lawyer groups aired more than 71,000 ads on national cable television at an estimated cost of $97 million.

“Trial lawyer groups spend obscene amounts of money on advertising because they know it’s an effective way to needlessly scare consumers and encourage them to file lawsuits,” Joyce said. “However, these advertisements too often are intentionally misleading and can lead to devastating consequences.”

I recently counted six billboards in a row for personal injury lawyers. Think of the money which drives such ridiculous amounts of advertising. Sadly much of that money is generated via unethical actions and,  often, outright criminal violations. 

British Celtic Women Lived In A Matriarchy (or at least close to it)

For those who think patriarchy is "natural" comes evidence from ancient Briton where Celtic women seen to have lived in a matriarchy. At least in one place. I suspect they will find more. 

In Britain, during the Neolithic Period (characterized by the introduction of agriculture) and the Bronze Age, which dated from about 4000 to 800 BCE, prehistoric human societies tended to be patrilocal. That's "where women move," says Cassidy. "They leave their home upon marriage, and they go join the village, the community of their husbands."

This is why Cassidy and her colleagues were surprised to find remains of a Celtic tribe that lived during the Iron Age in Britain from around 100 BCE to 100 CE where it appeared, after studying their DNA, that women were at the center of their social network. The research is published in Nature.

The Nature study can be found here. 

Demographics

Not hugely related to this site but I did find this video on by demographer Jennifer Sciubba quite interesting:

Note at 17:00 where Sciubba mentions that one of the main reasons men's life expectancy is so much lower than women's is because dangerous jobs are done predominately by men. In an equal society this would no longer be the case. I wonder how many people understand, or even care, about this. 

Kanno Sugako

People often assume feminism is contemporary and western. Not so. As proof I give you Kanno Sugako. Sugako, born in 1881. was a Japanese feminist, anarchist, socialist, and (at times) pacifist. She was executed by the Japanese government for  high treason in 1911 at the age of 29. 

Kanno Sugako (管野 須賀子, June 7, 1881 – January 25, 1911), also known as Kanno Suga (管野 スガ), was a Japanese anarcha-feminist journalist. She was the author of a series of articles about gender oppression, and a defender of freedom and equal rights for men and women.

In 1910, she was accused of treason by the Japanese government for her alleged involvement in what became known as the High Treason Incident, aimed at the assassination of Emperor Meiji. Kanno was executed by hanging on January 25, 1911, at the age of 29. She was the first woman with the status of political prisoner to be executed in the history of modern Japan.

Specific to gender equality Sugako wrote:

"In these postwar years there are many tasks facing the nation in politics, economy, industry, education, and so on. But for us women the most urgent task is to develop our own self-awareness. In accordance with long-standing customs, we have seen as a form of material property. Women in Japan are in a state of slavery. Japan has become an advanced, civilized nation, but we women are still denied our freedom by an invisible iron fence. There are women who take pride in their apparel, who are content to eat good food, and who regard going to the theater as the highest form of pleasure. We could ignore for the time being these pitiful women with slavish sentiments and hapless plights, women who give no thought to anything but their own self-interest. But women with some education and some degree of social knowledge must surely be discontented and angry about their status ..."