The System Is Stacked—505 Is Here to Balance It

505 Movement: Challenging Custody Bias

By William Jerikovsky, Founder – The 505 Movement

In Minnesota—and across the country—family courts often lean into outdated narratives. Too many custody cases still default to “mom-first,” or tilt in favor of whoever has the bigger bank account. Good fathers are sidelined. Good mothers are steamrolled. And kids? They’re the ones who lose.

The 505 Movement exists because fairness in custody should never be for sale.

Understanding Custody Bias

Custody bias is the reflex to assume mothers are the default parent, fathers are optional, and money wins the day. It’s a hangover from the old “tender years doctrine,” which said children belonged with their mothers. That doctrine may be gone on paper, but it still lingers in the courtroom.

The truth: fathers are just as capable, loving, and committed. Mothers, too, deserve protection when financial power threatens to strip them of their children.

The Cost of Bias

Bias doesn’t just sideline parents—it hurts kids. Research shows children thrive when both parents are actively involved. Yet fathers often face uphill battles, discouraged before they even step into court. Mothers without resources face the opposite wall, steamrolled by the other parent’s checkbook.

Either way, the result is the same: children lose access to the balanced, stable lives they deserve.

Why 505?

We believe 50/50 custody should be the standard. Our name came from a typo—“505” instead of “50/50”—but it stuck, because it means more:

• Balance.

• Equity.

• A movement, not just a number.

How We Change It

The 505 Movement is putting action behind words:

1. High-Caliber Legal Defense

   We raise funds to put top-quality attorneys in the corner of good parents who are being sidelined.

2. The Parent Ethics Oath

   We don’t defend abusers, addicts, or neglectful parents. Ever. This movement is for good parents only.

3. Education & Advocacy

   We work to change the narrative in courts, legislatures, and communities. Fairness isn’t about gender—it’s about kids having both parents.

Moving Forward

This isn’t just a fight for fathers. It’s a fight for families. It’s about ending the culture of “Momi-sota” and the idea that custody can be bought.

The 505 Movement stands on one simple truth: kids deserve both parents—equally.