“Laws are spider webs through which the big flies pass and the little ones get caught.“
-Honoré de Balzac
It’s no secret that money buys one a sense of social superiority in most fields, but it’s disheartening to know that this extends into the court of law as well. Inequality in front of the court comes in numerous forms. Various theories suggest that people of color are known to be subjected to harsher punishments- fueled by internalized bias, women are likely to be given lighter sentences and ‘conventionally attractive’ individuals are more likely to be seen sympathetically by the legal-system.
However, these are all merely theories that have been both proven and disproven numerous times. A concrete example of inequality in law are the harsh wealth disparities that govern everything from choice of legal representation to access to bail bonds.
Ethan Couch was a 16-year-old Texan who, in June 2013, was involved in a drunk-driving incident that resulted in the deaths of four people. Couch, who had a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit for adults, was driving with a suspended license. His defense argued that his privileged upbringing led to a condition they termed “affluenza,” suggesting that he was unable to understand the consequences of his actions due to his wealth and lack of proper discipline. He was sentenced to 10 years of probation instead of jail-time.
Kalief Browder was a 16-year-old from New York, who was arrested in 2010 for allegedly stealing a backpack. Unable to afford the $3,000 bail, Browder spent three years in pre-trial detention in prison including two years in solitary confinement. He was never convicted of a crime, as the charges were eventually dropped. He took his own life shortly after his release, which his brother believes was fueled by the mental and physical torture he underwent in prison.
The stories of Ethan Couch and Kalief Browder serve as a chilling reminder of how the scales of justice can be tilted by wealth. While the rich navigate the legal system with relative ease, the poor are often left to bear the full weight of its consequences.
Beyond individual cases, the advantages of wealth in legal battles are apparent at every stage of the process. The rich have access to top-tier legal representation, hiring experienced attorneys that can afford to prolong legal battles, hire witnesses and even exploit legal loopholes.
Additionally, they often have the means to post high bail amounts, allowing them to prepare their cases from the comfort of their homes, while the poor remain detained, with limited access to their lawyers. This imbalance is further exaggerated by the ability of the wealthy to influence public perception, through media consultants and PR teams that manage narratives, making them appear more sympathetic in the public eye. These advantages create a legal system where money doesn’t just talk—it dictates the outcome.
The stark reality is that most legal systems, designed to uphold justice, often bend under the weight of wealth, leaving the poor to bear the brunt of its consequences. To create a fairer system, we must push for reforms that level the playing field. These could include improving funding and support for public defenders, bail reforms and increasing transparency in legal proceedings. Ultimately, the influence of wealth in contemporary society is inevitable, but we must strive, at the minimum, to strip it away from our courtrooms.
Written by Ananya Nambiar
