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THE ROBING ROOM
where judges are judged
Hon. Joanna Seybert
District judge
E.D.N.Y.
2nd Circuit
Average Rating:
6.5
-
25
rating(s)
rating submitted
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Ratings:
What others have rated
Hon. Joanna Seybert
evaluator
ID
date
Temp* Sch* Indu* Comp* Punct* Ev-Cv* Ev-Cr* Flex Bail Crim Settle Trial Sent Coop Average
Civil Litigation - Private
24651
1/1/17
6
5
0
0
0
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
6.3
Civil Litigation - Private
24045
1/1/16
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Prosecutor
18853
1/2/12
9
7
7
8
8
0
10
7
5
5
0
6
7
7
8.2
Other
13368
1/1/12
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
11540
1/2/10
10
4
6
2
10
6
7
10
4
4
6
3
5
7
6.4
Civil Litigation - Private
7831
1/2/09
6
2
1
1
6
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
3.2
Civil Litigation - Private
7806
1/1/09
9
2
4
4
9
10
0
7
0
0
6
0
0
0
6.3
Criminal Defense Lawyer
6929
1/2/08
5
1
3
1
5
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
2.7
Civil Litigation - Private
6544
1/2/08
6
5
9
7
9
3
0
4
0
0
1
0
0
0
6.5
Civil Litigation - Private
6284
1/1/08
4
2
4
3
7
3
8
8
7
5
7
7
5
5
4.4
Criminal Defense Lawyer
5259
1/2/07
10
8
10
8
10
0
7
10
10
5
0
7
5
0
8.8
Criminal Defense Lawyer
3991
1/2/07
9
8
8
9
9
9
9
10
7
7
0
9
9
8
8.7
Criminal Defense Lawyer
3100
1/2/06
9
7
8
8
9
0
10
7
7
5
0
5
7
7
8.5
Criminal Defense Lawyer
3103
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
2882
1/1/06
5
3
5
3
5
2
0
2
0
0
5
0
0
0
3.8
Prosecutor
2452
1/2/06
9
9
10
10
8
9
7
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
8.9
Civil Litigation - Private
2131
1/2/06
9
7
8
0
9
9
0
8
0
0
5
0
0
0
8.4
Criminal Defense Lawyer
1237
1/2/06
10
9
8
10
10
0
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
9.5
Criminal Defense Lawyer
1196
1/2/06
5
7
5
6
7
4
5
7
0
7
0
7
7
0
5.6
Criminal Defense Lawyer
1054
1/2/06
8
3
5
2
5
0
3
8
0
8
0
9
9
0
4.3
category average
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-
-
-
-
-
-
-
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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
24651
1/1/17
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
24045
1/1/16
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Prosecutor
18853
1/2/12
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Other
13368
1/1/12
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
11540
1/2/10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
7831
1/2/09
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
7806
1/1/09
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
6929
1/2/08
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
6544
1/2/08
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
6284
1/1/08
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
5259
1/2/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
3991
1/2/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
3100
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
3103
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
2882
1/1/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Prosecutor
2452
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
2131
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
1237
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
1196
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
1054
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
category average
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Non-lawyer Rating
(if applicable)
evaluator
ID
date
Rating
Other
7637
1/2/08
9
Litigant
6928
1/2/08
3
Other
5358
1/2/07
9
Other
3552
1/2/07
5
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. Joanna Seybert
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
24651
rating:
6.3
She doesn't always seem to 'get' the arguments and in one case she took almost a year to approve a settlement which was really difficult for all parties involved. Overall I think she's a well meaning judge who makes fair decisions and is practical-minded and I've enjoyed appearing before.
1/1/17, 8:57 PM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
24045
rating:
0
It is distressing that a Federal Judge can be so ignorant of basic legal concepts.
1/1/16, 11:08 PM
Prosecutor
comment #:
18853
rating:
8.2
Very good judge, very fair, works pretty hard, very little bias, can be too indulgent of long winded counsel, can take too long to decide issues but usually gets it right or close enough in the end.
1/2/12, 3:30 PM
Other
comment #:
13368
rating:
0
Unfortunately this incompetent judge presided in the case of the State of NY & DEC against BB&S Lumber, Speonk, NY which sought to apportion responsibility for arsenic contamination resulting in site being placed on Superfund list. She never even asked who was responsible for the day to day operations of a small lumberyard. Her decision cost the taxpayers of NY who had to foot the bill for the cleanup $5.9 million.
1/1/12, 7:15 PM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
11540
rating:
6.4
Terrible on evidentiary rulings
1/2/10, 1:23 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
7831
rating:
3.2
This judge is a fool, plain and simple. She disregards the law as a sort of personal hobby. She has ruined my client's life in a civil litigation. In her opinion it is 'trademark infringement' to take a picture of what you are selling and post it on a website.
1/2/09, 5:26 PM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
7806
rating:
6.3
Disappointed over her complete interest in legal argumentation. Citing to cases in order to urge your point of view is a waste of time; she wings it, not without judgment and insight, but on anything other than dispositive motions, legal research is mainly a waste of time.
1/1/09, 9:56 PM
Other
comment #:
7637
rating:
0
Judge Seybert was fair and reasonable in her sentencing of this white collar tax case. It appears that she reviewed all the information that she was given in detail and her ruling felt appropriate to us even though it included a period of incarceration. She was willing to go below the sentencing guidelines due to the changes this person has made in his life.
1/2/08, 2:44 AM
Litigant
comment #:
6928
rating:
0
She does not want to apply statutes and case laws decided by the U.S. Supreme Court and 2nd Circuit and has departed from them without any rational basis for the same, clearly siding with corporations. While the doctrine of laches does not apply to statutory claims, she has applied the same to case No.2006-3199 and has accepted a release when the defendants have failed to establish its extence, validity and enforceability in favor of corporations. See Alexander v. Denver Gardner and Oubre.
1/2/08, 6:54 AM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
6929
rating:
2.7
She allowed a party not to come to their own scheduled hearing and conducted the proceedings with a pro se litigant. The defending party's attorney who scheduled a hearing actually failed to appear and yet they were given considerable leeway.
1/2/08, 7:03 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
6544
rating:
6.5
An extremely hardworking judge. Rulings are not predictable, nor mutual or even-handed. She seems to play favorites with one side over the other, and bends over backward to accommodate that side.
1/2/08, 9:55 PM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
6284
rating:
4.4
1/1/08, 7:53 PM
Other
comment #:
5358
rating:
0
Judge Seybert is an extremely fair judge. I speak for myself as I was sentenced by her in 1999. She basically gave me what I was entitled to within the guidelines. She is well known for being very generous in downward departures if the defendant is entitled to it.
1/2/07, 6:45 AM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
5259
rating:
8.8
I have several criminal cases before Judge Seybert including a six-week controlled substances trial and a death penalty case. While Judge Seybert leans towards the government on evidentiary and discovery rulings, she is generally fair. In my experience, Judge Seybert has been receptive to defense arguments for departures and non-guideline sentences. After taking over a case from another judge, she granted a discovery motion which led to the government's motion to dismiss the most serious charges. Although my client went to trial and was convicted, Judge Seybert sentenced him fairly. In the capital case, Judge Seybert approved our requests for funds to thoroughly investigate the case which led to the government withdrawing its notice of intent to seek the death penalty. At sentencing, she sua sponte sentenced him below the sentence provided in the plea agreement.
1/2/07, 3:47 AM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
3991
rating:
8.7
A listening judge who doesn't pretend to 'Know it all.' She runs a very accomodating chambers and is a really wonderful human being. She understands real people and she tries to be fair. She is especially good with people who are trying to overcome limitations. I have yet to get a within Guideline sentence with her since Booker. She has regularly tried to find reasons to depart and will not blindly follow the presentence report. Does suffer fools (a real distinction from most federal judges) and goes out of her way to make the experience a good one. Let's you educate her, even though she has great instincts. Does tend to side with the government pre-trial but gives a really fair trial and is very good with evidentiary rulings. Also plays it fair. One of, if not my Favorite Judge.
1/2/07, 11:57 AM
Other
comment #:
3552
rating:
0
She is a liberal judge that cost me tons of money
1/2/07, 2:32 PM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
3100
rating:
8.5
Very fair and open minded - can be tough on defendants who go to trial, especially in white collar cases.
1/2/06, 11:57 AM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
3103
rating:
0
Tends to favor the government in complex cases and is very hard sentencer after trial
1/2/06, 12:04 PM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
2882
rating:
3.8
The court's evidentary rulings are unpredictabe. If the court doesn't like your client she can and will wreck havoc on the presentation. Not a scholar. Pro government in criminal and pro defense in civil.
1/1/06, 12:32 PM
Prosecutor
comment #:
2452
rating:
8.9
Joanna is one of two of the fairest judges I have known in all my years of practice.
1/2/06, 2:53 PM
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