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THE ROBING ROOM
where judges are judged
Hon. Maria-Elena James
Magistrate judge
N.D.Cal.
9th Circuit
Average Rating:
7.8
-
9
rating(s)
rating submitted
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Ratings:
What others have rated
Hon. Maria-Elena James
evaluator
ID
date
Temp* Sch* Indu* Comp* Punct* Ev-Cv* Ev-Cr* Flex Bail Crim Settle Trial Sent Coop Average
Civil Litigation - Private
22329
1/2/15
10
8
9
0
10
10
0
10
0
0
10
0
0
0
9.4
Civil Litigation - Private
21690
1/2/14
9
9
9
0
0
9
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
9
Civil Litigation - Private
18117
1/2/12
10
0
10
10
10
10
0
0
0
0
8
0
0
0
10
Civil Litigation - Private
13211
1/2/11
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
10
Civil Litigation - Private
9334
1/2/09
7
5
2
0
0
1
0
5
0
0
1
0
0
0
3.8
Civil Litigation - Private
7381
1/1/08
5
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
5
Civil Litigation - Private
5878
1/2/08
9
9
10
0
10
10
0
0
0
0
10
0
0
0
6.9
Civil Litigation - Private
5875
1/2/08
9
9
10
0
10
10
10
0
0
0
10
0
0
0
8.3
Civil Litigation - Private
4762
1/1/07
10
7
9
3
0
10
0
10
0
0
9
0
0
0
7.8
category average
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Items marked with (*) are averaged into the displayed overall rating
Fam
Par
Qu-Arg
At-Arg
Sch
Cri
Civ
Lab
Imm
How familiar are you with the work of this judge? (1=Not at all familiar,10=Extremely familiar)
Participates in Oral Argument (1=Rarely,10=Always)
Quality of Questions During Oral Argument (1=Poor,10=Extremely insightful)
Attitude during oral argument (1=Consistently inappropriate,10=Consistently respectful)
Scholarship as reflected in Opinions (1=Poor,10=Outstanding)
General Inclination in Criminal Appeals (1=Strongly ProGovernment,10=Strongly ProDefense)
General Inclination in Civil Rights Appeals (1=Strongly Pro-Defendant,10=Strongly ProPlaintiff)
General Inclination in Labor Law Appeals (1=Strongly ProEmployee,10=Strongly ProEmployer)
General Inclination in Immigration Appeals (1=Strongly ProImmigrant,10=Strongly ProGov.)
evaluator
ID
date
Fam Par Qu-Arg At-Arg Sch Cri Civ Lab Imm
Civil Litigation - Private
22329
1/2/15
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
21690
1/2/14
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
18117
1/2/12
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
13211
1/2/11
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
9334
1/2/09
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
7381
1/1/08
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
5878
1/2/08
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
5875
1/2/08
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
4762
1/1/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
category average
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-
-
-
-
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-
Non-lawyer Rating
(if applicable)
evaluator
ID
date
Rating
category average
-
Temp*
Sch*
Indu*
Comp*
Punct*
Ev-Cv*
Ev-Cr*
Flex
Bail
Crim
Settle
Trial
Sent
Coop
Temperament (1=Awful 10=Excellent)
Scholarship (1=Awful 10=Excellent)
Industriousness (1=Not at all industrious 10=Highly industrious)
Ability to Handle Complex Litigation (1=Awful 10=Excellent)
Punctuality (1=Chronically Late 10=Always on Time)
Evenhandedness in Civil Litigation (1=Demonstrates Bias 10=Entirely Evenhanded)
Evenhandedness in Criminal Litigation (1=Demonstrates Bias 10=Entirely Evenhanded)
Flexibility in Scheduling (1=Completely Inflexible 10=Very Flexible)
General Inclination Regarding Bail (1=Pro-Defense 10=Pro-Government)
General Inclination in Criminal Cases Pre-Trial (1=Pro-Defense 10=Pro-Government)
Involvement in Civil Settlement Discussions (1=Least Involved 10=Most Involved)
General Inclination in Criminal Cases Trial (1=Pro-Defense 10=Pro-Government)
General Inclination in Criminal Cases Sentencing (1=Pro-Defense 10=Pro-Government)
Typical Discount Off Guidelines for Cooperators (1=10% 10=100%)
comments1
Comments:
What others have said about
Hon. Maria-Elena James
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
22329
rating:
9.4
Wonderful Temperament. Great Settlement Judge because she is even-handed and does not escalate the dispute. She grinds until she gets it done.
1/2/15, 2:20 PM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
21690
rating:
9
I love Judge James. She's a beautiful, sweet, patient lady, just a wonderful person. I'd give her stars and stars.
1/2/14, 9:42 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
18117
rating:
10
I found Judge James very effective in mediating a complex environmental dispute. Intelligent and insightful, and able to bring two parties together despite a wide gulf between them.
1/2/12, 2:53 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
13211
rating:
10
Judge James is a really nice person, the kind of woman you would like to have in your inner circle of friends. But, if you are thinking about using her for settlement conference—DON’T DO IT. Really. Just don’t. She is totally unprepared and ineffective. If you must have a settlement conference with her, don’t spend time on the Settlement Conference Statement. She won’t read it.
1/2/11, 7:23 PM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
9334
rating:
3.8
Absolutely useless in settlement discussions. Doesn't push at all, and has no sense of trying to find out what each party really wants; she assumes it's money rather than fair play or other forms of justice. Lacks general sense of inquisitiveness necessary for the task. I've heard the same from other attorneys.
1/2/09, 7:19 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
7381
rating:
5
At the very beginning of the settlement, she told a plaintiff who was obviously vulnerable and very physically disabled, that he would never ever win the case and that he ought to take whatever he could get. Did not talk about the facts of the case, but rather implied that the status of the parties would be the deciding factor. Bullied plaintiff and his counsel. Boasted about her presiding over many trials and that she can therefore predict outcomes. Her U.C. Irvine bio says that she only presides over four trials per year. Even worse, she pitted plaintiff and his counsel against each other by telling the attorney that she should take no fees because she was going to lose the case anyway, and that all settlement proceeds should go to her client just to get the case done. This would appear to be unethical settlement conduct, to try to pit attorney and client against one another. Attorney seriously considered withdrawing from the case due to the conflict she had created. On another point, she boasts about her public service, but has clearly no understanding of private practice. It is doubtful that she would have told a public servant to forego their salary so that it could go towards resolving a case. One doubts that she told defense counsel to contribute his fees to a settlement. Bizarre settlement conference. Very exhausting.
1/1/08, 7:26 PM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
5878
rating:
6.9
I agree with the previous comments. Judge James is everyone's favorite federal judge.
1/2/08, 4:43 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
5875
rating:
8.3
A wonderful judge -- the most courteous and judicious judge I've ever experienced. Wasted as a magistrate judge in my opinion -- appointment as a district judge is long overdue. The kind of judge you'd like to clone.
1/2/08, 1:35 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
4762
rating:
7.8
Judge James is perhaps the judge that I like best as a person in the Northern District. She is unfailingly friendly, warm, and courteous to everyone before her. The negative side of this is that she has a hard time twisting arms and busting heads, and cases under her purview, whether for settlement, discovery refereeing, or trial, tend to be controlled by whichever attorney is most obnoxious. If she could get a bit stronger in her temperament she'd be a truly ideal judge.
1/1/07, 8:46 PM
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