Here Comes The Judge

Even with a the protection that we have it all boils down to the judge, the judge sets the environment in the courtroom and if he is a bigot it all flows downhill.

Transgender rights: Los Angeles families complain of insensitive treatment during court hearings
LA Times
By Marisa Gerber
December 3, 2017

The Liljestrand family walked into the courthouse confident — if a bit nervous.

They'd come to get their eldest child's name legally changed to Melissa Rose and her gender designation switched from male to female.

When it was finally their turn to be heard, the judge cleared the courtroom. Before long, he turned to the 14-year-old and asked how she knew she was a girl.

"Convince me," the judge said, according to the family.

Now this should have never happened, California has a great set of laws protecting us and the judge’s questions were out of bounds… but he is the judge.

While battles over workplace discrimination and access to public accommodations, such as restrooms, have drawn intense public scrutiny, one facet of transgender rights — treatment inside the courtroom — is less well documented. Families have complained that efforts to change names and gender designations were met with callousness and antiquated stereotypes. They hope that raising the profile of the issue will lead to better training of judges.

So what do you do if you have a judge that is biased?

Do you speak up and maybe watch your case go down the drain?

Do you bite your tongue and kowtow down?

Everman complained to the Commission on Judicial Performance about what she characterized as "a traumatic experience." The commission's director, Victoria B. Henley, said the agency doesn't comment on whether a complaint has been lodged against a judge.

It got even worst for the family,

After the session resumed, the judge asked if a letter to the court saying Melissa had undergone "clinically appropriate treatment" was from a "real doctor," Everman said.

Moreton agreed to sign the papers, but first flapped them in the air, Liljestrand said.

"Just a piece of paper," he recalled the judge saying. "It does not make you a woman… Now you're just going to have a lot more problems than other people."

The judge didn’t just cross the line , but torn it up.