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THE ROBING ROOM
where judges are judged
Hon. J. Frederick Motz
District judge
D.Md.
4th Circuit
Average Rating:
5.7
-
25
rating(s)
rating submitted
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Ratings:
What others have rated
Hon. J. Frederick Motz
evaluator
ID
date
Temp* Sch* Indu* Comp* Punct* Ev-Cv* Ev-Cr* Flex Bail Crim Settle Trial Sent Coop Average
Criminal Defense Lawyer
24789
1/1/17
1
1
1
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Civil Litigation - Private
23578
1/2/16
1
1
1
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Civil Litigation - Private
21422
1/1/14
4
8
5
7
10
5
4
10
6
1
2
9
5
10
6.1
Civil Litigation - Private
19596
1/2/13
9
10
10
10
10
9
0
10
0
0
8
0
0
0
9.7
Civil Litigation - Private
11908
1/2/11
10
7
8
10
9
7
0
10
0
0
5
0
0
0
8.5
Criminal Defense Lawyer
10156
1/2/10
1
10
5
5
10
1
0
5
0
0
2
0
0
0
5.3
Civil Litigation - Private
9906
1/2/10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
9660
1/1/10
1
1
1
1
6
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.8
Civil Litigation - Private
9602
1/2/09
1
1
1
2
5
1
0
5
0
0
1
0
0
0
1.8
Litigant
8923
1/2/09
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
7707
1/1/09
7
5
2
2
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3.4
Criminal Defense Lawyer
7484
1/2/08
3
5
6
5
7
2
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
4.7
Criminal Defense Lawyer
6197
1/2/08
9
9
9
8
8
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
8.5
Civil Litigation - Private
5516
1/2/08
9
10
10
10
9
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
9.7
Civil Litigation - Private
5438
1/2/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Litigant
4528
1/1/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Govt.
3569
1/2/07
10
10
10
10
10
10
0
10
0
0
10
0
0
0
10
Civil Litigation - Private
1667
1/2/06
9
10
9
10
9
10
10
0
0
0
9
0
0
0
9.6
Civil Litigation - Private
1088
1/2/06
6
3
3
6
4
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3.8
category average
-
-
-
-
-
-
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-
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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
Criminal Defense Lawyer
24789
1/1/17
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
23578
1/2/16
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
21422
1/1/14
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
19596
1/2/13
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
11908
1/2/11
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
10156
1/2/10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
9906
1/2/10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
9660
1/1/10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
9602
1/2/09
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Litigant
8923
1/2/09
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
7707
1/1/09
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
7484
1/2/08
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
6197
1/2/08
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
5516
1/2/08
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
5438
1/2/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Litigant
4528
1/1/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Govt.
3569
1/2/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
1667
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
1088
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
category average
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Non-lawyer Rating
(if applicable)
evaluator
ID
date
Rating
Other
23959
1/1/16
1
Litigant
20958
1/1/13
1
Litigant
8299
1/1/09
9
Other
4501
1/2/07
3
Litigant
3959
1/2/07
1
Other
1965
1/3/06
9
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. J. Frederick Motz
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
24789
rating:
1
Why is he still on the bench. He never should have been sworn in as a judge. Lacks judicial temperament. Thinks he is God. Overrated by clowns who want his approval. Unqualified. Incompetent. Belongs off the bench.
1/1/17, 11:30 PM
Other
comment #:
23959
rating:
0
This judge has no business handling litigation. His recent decision regarding the punishment for the thug that punctured a hose being used to restrict the flames at the Baltimore City CVS is ridiculous. One million dollar fine? Seriously? This thug will never pay a penny! Let him out with time served? This judge should not be presiding over cases that he doesn't understand.
1/1/16, 1:32 PM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
23578
rating:
1
Judge Motz has aged into a temperamental, impetuous and slow-witted defender of the government. He alternately screams at lawyers and laughs at them in front of juries. He often seems not to know where he is, and his rulings in evidence are completely random. His time has come and long gone. Sadly, the federal bench is discredited by his continuing service.
1/2/16, 2:12 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
21422
rating:
6.1
He is a strongly pro-government former U.S. Attorney who thinks it is his job to help the government. He is generally fair in his sentencing, but he is way too harsh on white-collar criminal sentences. He is a good civil judge.
1/1/14, 11:57 PM
Litigant
comment #:
20958
rating:
0
Judge Motz didn't give my case the required attention. He was partial, impatient and dismissive. Judge Motz treated me and my case most rudely. He upheld the antics and trickery of the corporation's attorneys by saying they didn't need to provide truthful answers until after discovery closed in my case, even after he refused to uphold a motion to compel that we filed in seeking the truth. He singlehandedly prevented my chances to achieve justice in his courtroom when he acted as the judge and the jury. He is, in my opinion, a judge who needs to retire completely because he protects the interests of big business and government at the expense of the very citizens he is sworn to protect. He should no longer serve on the bench because he is a disservice to everyday men and women seeking the justice he robs them of with his faulty, rapid and flimsy rulings.
1/1/13, 8:04 PM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
19596
rating:
9.7
When I told my co-counsel we had Judge Motz, he groaned. He was wrong, we had the best judge for our case. His written opinion proved me right. He reads the pleading, understands the facts and does what justice needs.
1/2/13, 11:44 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
11908
rating:
8.5
I just came across this site, and I was shocked by some of these comments. I'm a plaintiffs' class action lawyer, and was involved in the Mutual Fund Market Timing litigation before Judge Motz (there was at least a dozen plaintiffs' firms in that case, so I'm not revealing too much). At least in that case, Judge Motz was courteous, flexible, professional, knowlegeable, and a general pleasure to appear before. I saw no signs of bias toward the corporate defendants, and, if anything, note that he sometimes made pro-plaintiff rulings that he knew would likely not be upheld by the 4th Circuit, but that in the meantime would help move settlement talks along. As a general matter, I'm one of the first to decry the 'corporate wh-res' on the federal bench. I just didn't see Judge Motz as one of them.
1/2/11, 8:35 AM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
10156
rating:
5.3
Judge Motz takes on too many cases and does not give the cases he has the required attention. Ironically I think much like him and President Regan who appointen him. His temperment(now which I can ony assume it is because he feels he has to offset all the other liberal judges on the bench before he retires)is such that he cannot hide his rash inappropriate desire to clear the courts of what he believes must be frivolous cases before digging into to find out the facts are in each case. Judge Motz allows the big company 'goliath's' to delay the discovey for years thus preventing 'David' from ever having his day in court. Motz's loses control when because the large corporations use 'burn and pillage' tactics thus preventing a timely administration of justice. It is clearly time for him to take a lesser role in the court or retire. As frustrated he may be he needs to recognize that he is not Don Quijote or Ronald Regan. Motz's recent lack of control in his courtroom is undermining the very reasons he was appointed and more importantly preventing justice in his courtroom.
1/2/10, 1:22 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
9906
rating:
0
The Model Code of Judicial Conduct requires judges to be impartial and 'patient, dignified and courteous to litigants, jurors, witnesses, lawyers and others with whom the judge deals in an official capacity.' Judge Motz has demonstrated a shocking inability to comply with these requirements and therefore should no longer serve on the bench.
1/2/10, 7:58 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
9660
rating:
1.8
He is a first rate slug and is one of the laziest judges in the federal judiciary. He does not even read what his law clerk writes and issues on his behalf.
1/1/10, 5:21 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
9602
rating:
1.8
Pro-corporation. Very rude. Does not belong on the bench based on his poor temperament.
1/2/09, 8:34 AM
Litigant
comment #:
8923
rating:
0
I spoke too fast Judge Motz took up for the big companies once again. I'll appeal!!!!!
1/2/09, 9:29 AM
Litigant
comment #:
8299
rating:
0
I have a pending employment discrimination case (ADA) in front of Judge J. Frederick Motz. He has been very fair in his rulings. I have two cases that involve the same subject matter and I've filed a motion to consolidate my cases to Judge Motz.
1/1/09, 7:01 PM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
7707
rating:
3.4
Used to be -- nearly 2 decades ago -- a great judge. Now, wed to corporations and the government and growing either lazy or tired.
1/1/09, 6:32 PM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
7484
rating:
4.7
In any case between an individual and a large corporation or the government the individual comes into court standing in a chin high hole.
1/2/08, 1:17 PM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
6197
rating:
8.5
Great judge, cuts through the BS to the heart of the issues.
1/2/08, 1:38 PM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
5516
rating:
9.7
Judge Motz is a model federal judge: intelligent, industrious, and fair. Highly recommended.
1/2/08, 12:19 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
5438
rating:
0
Have to agree with other posters who criticize this judge's impartiality. I watched him try to cut a sweetheart antitrust settlement for Microsoft that would have let the company off the hook on nationwide liability by allowing Microsoft to improve its marketshare by 'donating' MS software to public schools. Thank goodness Apple and others strongly objected!
1/2/07, 12:00 PM
Other
comment #:
4501
rating:
0
Intellectually bound by corporate America leading inevitably to the demise of the middle class and folks who cannot afford high priced representation.
1/2/07, 4:05 AM
Litigant
comment #:
4528
rating:
0
The two comments below, 'Never met a corporate defendant he did not love' and 'bound by corporate America' says it all. Just read www.thedarkersideofbrown.com
1/1/07, 3:44 PM
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