Study: Attractive Lawyers Have Greater Chance of Winning Cases
An American study has found that lawyers with attractive appearances have a greater chance of winning their cases and obtaining favorable judgments from judges.
According to the British newspaper “Daily Mail,” the study found that “this advantage applies to both men and women and at all levels of experience.”
A researcher from the University of Illinois in the United States gathered data on over 1000 cases in American courts, and found pictures and videos of participating lawyers in the courtroom.
The researcher then asked a group of participants to evaluate the lawyers based on their attractiveness.
The analysis revealed that “lawyers perceived as more attractive consistently had higher success rates and were more likely to directly win their cases.”
According to the newspaper, “the results were consistent regardless of race and gender for both judges and lawyers. However, it appears that attractive female lawyers have a slight edge, especially when arguing before male judges.”
The researcher said the findings raise “serious concerns” about the fairness of the judicial system.
The study’s author, Nicholas Watemberg, told “PsyPost” website: “I think the main idea is that judges are also human beings.”
He continued: “When judges are overwhelmed with work, they rely on the same mental shortcuts that the rest of us use to make decisions.”
