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THE ROBING ROOM
where judges are judged
Hon. Robert J. Kelleher
District judge
C.D.Cal.
9th Circuit
Average Rating:
3.7
-
7
rating(s)
rating submitted
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Ratings:
What others have rated
Hon. Robert J. Kelleher
evaluator
ID
date
Temp* Sch* Indu* Comp* Punct* Ev-Cv* Ev-Cr* Flex Bail Crim Settle Trial Sent Coop Average
Civil Litigation - Private
9895
1/2/10
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Litigant
6437
1/1/08
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Govt.
6032
1/1/08
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Prosecutor
5499
1/1/08
2
2
1
1
1
1
0
6
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.3
Civil Litigation - Private
4969
1/2/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
4531
1/2/07
5
9
8
8
8
8
0
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
7.7
Civil Litigation - Private
4329
1/1/07
6
3
3
1
10
5
0
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
4.7
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
9895
1/2/10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Litigant
6437
1/1/08
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Govt.
6032
1/1/08
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Prosecutor
5499
1/1/08
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
4969
1/2/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
4531
1/2/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
4329
1/1/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
category average
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
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. Robert J. Kelleher
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
9895
rating:
1
I had a case before Judge Kelleher in the mid-70s. He continued the trial, sua sponte, twice -- itself a very unusual occurrence. The second continuance took place the day before trial was to begin, and the ostensible reason was that the judge was too sick to preside. In fact, the reason for the continuance was to allow him to attend a tennis tournament. He was outed when he stopped an attempted purse-snatching at the event, which made the news. The judge had to be aware that parties and witnesses had flown in from out of state for the trial, at significant expense, but took the week off anyway. It sounds from the tenor of the other -- more recent --comments, that he hasn't changed for the better.
1/2/10, 2:44 AM
Litigant
comment #:
6437
rating:
0
I had the unfortunate experience of appearing before him in pro se. He dismissed my case stating that it had no value because if it did an attorney would be representing me. I appealed and won. Upon remand he dismissed my case again.
1/1/08, 12:46 PM
Civil Litigation - Govt.
comment #:
6032
rating:
0
I actually witnessed Judge Kelleher display ignorance about invoking the rule of exclusion per Fed. R. Evidence 615. A lawyer asked that the rule be invoked and Judge Kelleher actually seemed to be totally unfamiliar with it. In many years of trial practice, I don't recall having ever seen a federal or state court judge fumble such a fundamental rule of trial practice. I have no confidence in his abilities. This wasn't the only display of lack of competence, but it was certainly glaring.
1/1/08, 10:25 PM
Prosecutor
comment #:
5499
rating:
1.3
As a prosecutor for over 20 years, and a private practioner for 7 years, Judge Kelleher ranks as one of the worst and most unfair judges I have encountered. He reaches decisions not based upon the law or the facts but based on the outcome that he wants. He's arrogant and seems to take reversals personally. I concur with the comments regarding summary judgment. It appears that Judge Kelleher is either lazy or simply too old to invest the time necessary. It's time for Judge Kelleher to retire.
1/1/08, 5:24 PM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
4969
rating:
0
Judge Kelleher is old-school, gruff and arrogant. He was a sole practitioner in Beverly Hills, and his status and connections as the only non-player captain of the U.S. Olympic Tennis team got Nixon to give him a seat on the bench. He was quite happy until the early 1970's when his new seat on the Ninth Circuit was snatched from his grasp when Nixon needed to get Ninth Circuit Judge Joseph Tyree Sneed out of the Justice Department, where he was embarrassing people, and gave him Kelleher's seat. For nearly 30 years, Kelleher has languished on the district court bench. He doesn't grant many summary judgments because he is too old and too lazy to read them.
1/2/07, 5:44 PM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
4531
rating:
7.7
He is amazing for his age. He is extremely bright, usually well prepared and asks pointed questions. He loves trials and, unlike most Federal Judges, does not dispose of very much on summary judgment.
1/2/07, 8:14 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
4329
rating:
4.7
Judge Kelleher tries to be fair, but he is well past his 'sell by' date. He is always courteous, but seems unduly swayed by emotional argument and does not always seem to grasp the nuances of a legal issue. Has a tendency to make snap judgments without due consideration.
1/1/07, 2:06 PM
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