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THE ROBING ROOM
where judges are judged
Hon. Francisco A. Besosa
District judge
D.P.R.
1st Circuit
Average Rating:
4.4
-
13
rating(s)
rating submitted
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Ratings:
What others have rated
Hon. Francisco A. Besosa
evaluator
ID
date
Temp* Sch* Indu* Comp* Punct* Ev-Cv* Ev-Cr* Flex Bail Crim Settle Trial Sent Coop Average
Criminal Defense Lawyer
21722
1/2/14
1
5
7
2
9
0
1
1
1
1
0
1
1
1
4.2
Civil Litigation - Private
21463
1/2/14
1
1
3
1
10
2
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
Civil Litigation - Private
21465
1/2/14
1
0
1
1
7
1
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
2.2
Criminal Defense Lawyer
19843
1/2/13
1
2
3
3
10
3
0
5
0
0
2
0
0
0
3.7
Civil Litigation - Private
19171
1/2/12
3
4
5
5
9
1
1
2
0
10
2
10
10
0
4
Criminal Defense Lawyer
12002
1/2/11
6
1
1
1
9
0
2
4
0
10
0
10
0
0
3.3
Prosecutor
12003
1/2/11
3
1
1
1
9
0
1
0
0
10
0
0
0
0
2.7
Civil Litigation - Private
9787
1/2/10
3
4
8
7
8
5
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
5.8
Criminal Defense Lawyer
8511
1/2/09
8
2
7
3
8
0
2
2
10
10
0
10
6
0
5
Civil Litigation - Private
7909
1/1/09
3
1
1
2
10
1
2
5
8
10
2
10
9
4
2.9
Civil Litigation - Private
7422
1/2/08
5
5
8
10
10
5
0
2
0
0
8
0
0
0
7.2
Civil Litigation - Private
6920
1/2/08
1
3
5
2
8
3
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
3.7
Criminal Defense Lawyer
3879
1/2/07
9
8
9
0
10
9
9
10
9
5
10
5
8
0
9
category average
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-
-
-
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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
21722
1/2/14
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
21463
1/2/14
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
21465
1/2/14
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
19843
1/2/13
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
19171
1/2/12
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
12002
1/2/11
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Prosecutor
12003
1/2/11
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
9787
1/2/10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
8511
1/2/09
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
7909
1/1/09
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
7422
1/2/08
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
6920
1/2/08
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
3879
1/2/07
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. Francisco A. Besosa
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
21722
rating:
4.2
1/2/14, 11:14 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
21463
rating:
3
This judge is petty and can be quite vindictive. He is the worst federal judge that I have appeared before over the course of four decades of professional litigation. Formerly an undistinguished attorney in corporate law firms, this judge clearly favors defendants in civil litigation. He sits on dispositive motions for months, while holding the parties to inflexible pretrial deadlines (e.g. motions in limine, voir dire and jury instructions), only to dismiss long-pending dispositive motions a few days before trial, after the parties have incurred major expenses. His rulings on dispositive motions are frequently reversed in the First Circuit. In this district, this judge is also well-known for his practice of ruling on non-dispositive motions (e.g., discovery disputes) within minutes of their filing, without giving the other party a chance to respond. Some attorneys in this district have prepared template 'Notice of Intent to Respond' motions, for immediate electronic filing, in the hope that they can be filed before the judge rules against them. If you are lucky enough to get to trial before this judge, you have to contend with his astounding lack of knowledge regarding both substantive law and evidence. He becomes extremely annoyed if you raise a legal issue about which he is uninformed. Rather than taking the time to study and analyze the unfamiliar issue, he rules off-the-cuff and berates counsel, all the while trying to cover up his lack of knowledge. His opinions and orders are often simply illogical, and ultimately demonstrative of his cavalier attitude with respect to understanding complex issues. He is also well-known for mistreating attorneys, both during hearings and in docket entry orders and published decisions, in which he scolds lawyers and employs language intended to ridicule them. He reserves his most caustic comments for competent attorneys, given his extreme insecurity and lack of humility about his own lack of knowledge. I believe that he has a misogynist bent -- while he is capable of mistreating just about anyone, he appears to do so with women more often. Unfortunately, this judge has no redeeming value, except, perhaps, his occasional good humor and the fact that, while on trial, he puts in full days and is punctual.
1/2/14, 10:39 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
21465
rating:
2.2
1/2/14, 2:27 PM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
19843
rating:
3.7
This judge was mainly a lackluster bankrruptcy lawyer with very little trial/litigation experience. It shows in the way that he handles his cases. Has a very arrogant temperament.
1/2/13, 1:54 PM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
19171
rating:
4
Does not have a judicial temperament, seems overwhelmed and to have made up his mind before hearing the evidence. Very obstinate. Definitely pro defendant and pro government.
1/2/12, 5:42 AM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
12002
rating:
3.3
Shockingly bad. The judge is polite, but has no understanding of the rules of evidence, criminal procedure, constitutional law, pre-trial motions or basic trial practice. I question why he decided to become a judge, as he does not apppear to have any intellectual curiosity about the law or interests in learning to be a better judge or any concern with avoiding reversal (as he has a reversal rate below 60%). His Court is the Puerto Rican Star Chamber.
1/2/11, 7:01 PM
Prosecutor
comment #:
12003
rating:
2.7
I wouldn't say Judge Besosa might be the worst judge I've ever seen. I would say that he IS the worst judge I've ever seen. The reviewers who said he doesn't understand pretrial motions and is 'very insecure' were spot on. His ability to delay ruling on motions (which he eventually decides in favor of the prosecution) is unparalleled. His best quality is that he is punctual, which is the robing room equivalent of getting a perfect attendance award--and we all know what a piece of crap that award is. Another nugget is that his deputy clerk thinks that a criminal defendant cannot add exhibits after the day of opening statements. He gets a 10 for general inclination in criminal cases, but that's only because a 10 is 100% pro-government. It's one thing to be wrong and be consistent, but when you're only wrong against the defense, that shows how pro-government he really is. Also, I swear I think he's playing brickbreaker on his Blackberry during the trial.
1/2/11, 7:02 PM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
9787
rating:
5.8
1/2/10, 12:24 AM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
8511
rating:
5
He has excellent judicial temperment. He is inept in criminal cases. However, he does allow the attorneys to try their own cases, without improper interference, once the trial begins. Pre-trial motion practice is difficult because he simply does not understand that it is not necessarily correct just because the prosecutor says it is.
1/2/09, 1:23 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
7909
rating:
2.9
Very pro-defendant in civil matters. Will ambush litigators in hearings. Very insecure.
1/1/09, 6:41 PM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
7422
rating:
7.2
Generally a no-nonsense judge who understands how to move civil cases to resolution. May show slight bias towards the defense in some cases, as he mostly represented defendants in civil litigation. In the one case I tried before him, he took an inordinate amount of time to resolve the defendants' post-trial motions. Otherwise, no complaints.
1/2/08, 8:50 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
6920
rating:
3.7
1/2/08, 9:37 AM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
3879
rating:
9
He appears as a fair and evenhanded judge, we hope the influence of others on the bench does not change him.
1/2/07, 12:38 PM
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