The author was pretty clear about the role of favoritism: it strongly influenced the initial judges, but became less important during the appeals.
“But when he returned a few days later and heard his wife’s story, he angrily brought charges against Le Gris in the court of Count Pierre of Alençon, overlord to both men. Le Gris was the count’s favorite and his administrative right hand. A large and powerful man, Le Gris was well educated and very wealthy, though from an only recently ennobled family. He also had a reputation as a seducer—or worse. But the count, infuriated by the accusation against his favorite, declared at a legal hearing that Marguerite “must have dreamed it” and summarily dismissed the charges, ordering that “no further questions ever be raised about it.”
“Carrouges, without whom his wife could not even bring a case, resolutely rode off to Paris to appeal for justice to the king.”
It also doesn’t explain why the parlement decided “we have no idea.”
They couldn't decide without offending one of two powerful men. So they didn't decide.
I don't see how that quote advances the case at all. It illustrates my point exactly, then with the brief 'appeal for justice to the king'. Why does anyone imagine that went any differently? It didn't. They wanted to see blood sport, so they decided that way - as the huge crowd confirms, it was a popular decision, not a just one.
“But when he returned a few days later and heard his wife’s story, he angrily brought charges against Le Gris in the court of Count Pierre of Alençon, overlord to both men. Le Gris was the count’s favorite and his administrative right hand. A large and powerful man, Le Gris was well educated and very wealthy, though from an only recently ennobled family. He also had a reputation as a seducer—or worse. But the count, infuriated by the accusation against his favorite, declared at a legal hearing that Marguerite “must have dreamed it” and summarily dismissed the charges, ordering that “no further questions ever be raised about it.”
“Carrouges, without whom his wife could not even bring a case, resolutely rode off to Paris to appeal for justice to the king.”
It also doesn’t explain why the parlement decided “we have no idea.”