The influence of plaintiff gender on the judicial decision to grant civil restraining orders: a replication and analysis.

Our knowledge of the role of plaintiff gender in shaping the judicial decision to issue restraining orders rests upon only two studies. Both conclude that judges discriminate against male victims. Each is constrained by small male sample size, few control variables, and limited statistical analysis. We replicate one of these studies. In the issuance of temporary orders we find a gender difference, though with a greatly reduced effect size compared to the earlier study. Legally relevant gender differences may explain this disparity. Plaintiff gender had no effect on the judicial decision to set hearing dates or to issue a permanent order.