Current location:business >>
The Elle Woods effect: Good looking lawyers have more success in court, study finds
business379People have gathered around
IntroductionWhether it's Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde, Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones or Ally McBeal, plenty ...
Whether it's Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde, Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones or Ally McBeal, plenty of attractive lawyers have graced our TV screens.
But now, a study suggests that good looking lawyers really are more likely to win their cases and receive favourable rulings from judges.
And this advantage applies for both men and women – and at all levels of experience – it found.
As part of his study, a researcher from the University of Illinois gathered data on more than 1,000 US court cases and found pictures and courtroom videos of the attorneys involved.
He then asked a group of participants to rate the lawyers on their level of attractiveness.
A study suggests that good looking lawyers really are more likely to win their cases and receive favourable rulings from judges. Pictured: Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde
READ MORE: Judges will be able to use ChatGPT in legal rulings in England and Wales - despite the technology being prone to making up bogus cases
AdvertisementAnalysis revealed that lawyers perceived as more attractive had enjoyed consistently higher success rates and were more likely to win cases outright.
The findings were consistent regardless of the race and gender of both the judges and lawyers – however, attractive female lawyers appeared to receive a slightly greater advantage, especially when arguing before male judges.
The researcher said the findings raise 'significant concerns' about the fairness of the justice system.
'I consider the main takeaway to be that 'judges are people too',' study author Nicholas Waterbury told PsyPost.
'When judges are overburdened with work they rely on some of the same mental shortcuts the rest of us use to make decisions.
'Researchers have shown in many settings that attractive individuals have advantages over less attractive counterparts.
this advantage applies for both men and women – and at all levels of experience – it found. Pictured: Colin Firth as Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones
Analysis revealed that lawyers perceived as more attractive had enjoyed consistently higher success rates and were more likely to win cases outright. Pictured: Calista Flockhart as Ally McBeal
'This research suggests that when judges need to quickly evaluate an attorney's argument they extend the same attractiveness advantage as everyone else.'
The study, titled 'Justice Isn't Blind', was published in the Journal of Law and Courts.
It reads: 'In this analysis, I have shown that attorney attractiveness significantly increases the chances of attorney success.
'Voting on the basis of attractiveness does not constitute rational decision-making.
'Attractiveness is not supposed to influence the outcome of legal disputes.
'These findings raise serious normative concerns about equality and underscore the need to adjust traditional models of judicial behaviour to account for inherent biases.'
Tags:
Reprint:Friends are welcome to share on the Internet, but please indicate the source of the article when reprinting it.“Stellar Station news portal”。http://tonga.downmusic.org/content-52f099944.html
Related articles
US defender John Brooks to leave German club Hoffenheim
businessSINSHEIM, Germany (AP) — United States defender John Brooks is set to leave German Bundesliga club H ...
【business】
Read moreAlfa Romeo Milano EV unveiled: Italian brand's debut electric car is here and will cost around £34k
businessAlfa Romeo has revealed the new Milano - a sporty, compact car that it hopes will attract a fresh an ...
【business】
Read moreFull Text: Report on the Work of the Government
business(Xinhua) 08:08, March 13, 2024BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The following is the full text of the go ...
【business】
Read more
Popular articles
- Tagovailoa misses Dolphins' OTA day to attend Saban's charity golf tournament
- China releases full text of government work report
- 2023 'My Story of Chinese Hanzi' international competition wraps up in N China's Jincheng
- Mom of gay Jewish teen, 19, murdered by 'closeted' Neo
- Clark signs deal with Wilson Sporting Goods for signature line
- Commentary: A summit for democracy or dominance?
Latest articles
LINKS
- Orioles put outfielder Austin Hays on injured list and cut Peyton Burdick
- Gorman snaps slump with walk
- China's new quality agricultural productive forces to be fully developed: report
- Car ploughs into primary school and sparks mass evacuation of pupils
- Mets cut reliever Michael Tonkin for 2nd time in 18 days, with a Twins stop in between
- Cruz breaks slump with 3 hits, Jones cruises as Pirates beat Brewers 4
- Takeaways from the opening statements in Trump's hush money trial
- Conference on internal combustion engines opens in China's Tianjin
- Travis d'Arnaud homers again and Bryce Elder shuts down Marlins in Braves' 3
- China celebrates 30 years of internet access, boasting over 1 billion users