Kansas Family Court Reform Coalition: NNFLP on Maryland Legislature's Sad Cave-in to Anti-Victim Domestic Violence Propaganda

Saturday, March 13, 2010

NNFLP on Maryland Legislature's Sad Cave-in to Anti-Victim Domestic Violence Propaganda

National Network On Family Law Policy™

The Maryland Legislature killed a bill this month that would have brought Maryland's restraining order policies into line with every other state in the Union. Remarkably, in Maryland, a victim seeking help is required to prove her case with "clear and convincing" evidence, a higher standard than "preponderance of the evidence", which is the universal standard for civil disputes. There can be only one reason for this absurd requirement: that Maryland legislators believe that women frequently lie when they allege abuse. Under the "clear and convincing" standard, even if it appears to be more likely than not that it's the victim telling the truth in a "he said, she said" situation, the victim still loses.

Below are the legislators voting against the bill; if they did this, that can only mean that they have fallen for propaganda that leads them to believe that women who claim abuse (testify in court) are less credible than men who deny abuse (testify in court). That's not a level playing field, and it's an absolutely unacceptable attitude for a legislator to hold. For that reason alone: vote them out of office.

Curtis S. Anderson (D-Baltimore)

Benjamin S. Barnes (D-Prince George's)

Jill P. Carter (D-Baltimore)

Frank M. Conaway Jr. (D-Baltimore)

Donald H. Dwyer Jr. (R-Anne Arundel)

William J. Frank (R-Baltimore County)

J.B. Jennings (R-Baltimore County)

Kevin Kelly (D-Allegany)

Gerron S. Levi (D-Prince George's)

Tony McConkey (R-Anne Arundel)

Victor R. Ramirez (D-Prince George's)

Samuel I. Rosenberg (D-Baltimore)