I had the rare privilege of attending a court session in Roanoke, Va. with Judge Philip Trompeter  residing as the judge.   All the Lawyers, in the waiting room, warned me,"There is the Constitution, The Laws of Virginia and then there is Judge Trompeter's opinion."   They said it didn't matter the truth, the facts, the evidence, what mattered is gender.   If you were a male, in the Judges court room, then your chances of justice, were pretty slim.   All the lawyers, dread coming into Judge Trompeter courtroom, because they know there isn't any fairness, there isn't any justice, the evidence, they present, not matter what, if you are defending a man and the plaintiff is a woman, then you know chances are, your defendant, will be found guilty by the judge.  

I didn't believe it, here in America, when the overwhelming facts, show who is really guilty, whether a man or woman, that truth wouldn't preside.   BUT, I sat quietly back and watch the circus in Judge Trompeter's court room unfold.   The first witness, told her facts and even she didn't believe, what she was saying, then the second witness, the plaintiff and a woman, sat in the witness box and changed her story 3 times, as the defense attorney asked simple questions that required very simple answers.

The defendant was a man, was concise, answered honestly and his story, hadn't changed from the beginning of this fiasco.
All this didn't matter, as I watched, the unbelievable lack of intelligence, as the prosecutor, a woman, closing argument, said the changing stories, of the plaintiff, should be believed and the defendant should be found guilty.   The defense attorney, a man, stands and simply states the facts, the obvious lack of truth in the plaintiff's stories and changes that occurred even in her testimony that day.  

But true to his colors, Judge Trumpeter, ignored the facts, ignored the evidence, ignored the blatant changing of the story by the woman and ruled guilty, saying "Due to the evidence and to your stature, you sir, are guilty."  Then proceeded to give him to options.

I find this so hypercritical, given this supposed enlightened society we live in, this Judge Trumpeter, just told every man that lives with an abusive woman, it doesn't matter the facts, but if you are a man, taller then a woman, then you obviously are guilty.  Therefore, I will find you guilty no matter what.

The Defendant, in this courtroom, never said anything to the authorities because as he put it,"I could handle it, the abuse and besides who would believe me?"  For 10yrs, this defendant put up with the physical and verbal abuse from this woman.  

How true was this statement.   I myself, had witnessed the plaintiff abuse of the defendant, both physically and verbally.   Past history, with the plaintiff's relationship, was not allowed in the courtroom, even though, it showed her obvious lack of restraint, when it comes to anger issues.   She admitted, in the witness stand, that in the heat of the moment, you don't think clearly, but still all that was ignored.   The defendant was taller then her, she is a short woman, so therefore, the man has to be guilty.

Are we so ignorant, in our society and pious, no matter how much abuse a woman dishes out, she will not be held accountable, to the authorities,especially in the courtroom of Judge Trompeter?

I admit, it use to be unique for a woman to be the abuser, but as times escalate in our society, more and more we are seeing this in our girls, young woman, woman.  Statistically it is the man, who is the abuser, but in those rare cases, where the woman is abusive, should she not be held accountable to the same standard as a man is?

I sat in that courtroom, wondering if the roles had been reversed, would the Judge Trompeter have ruled the same way.   According to the lawyers in Roanoke, Va., he would not have.  

So what is to be done, according to the same lawyers, it has always been this way and until Judge Trompeter retires, it will always be this way.   REALLY!! my thoughts are why hasn't anyone stepped in and said this is wrong and needs to be addressed, are there no checks and balances, in the smaller judicial process that review these cases and call the judges on the carpet for such misconduct?   Are judges gods, being untouchable and  not ruled by the very laws, they are charged with upholding?

So what is the answer?