top of page
THE ROBING ROOM
where judges are judged
Hon. John G. Koeltl
District judge
S.D.N.Y.
2nd Circuit
Average Rating:
7.3
-
22
rating(s)
rating submitted
Please send me alerts on this judge
subscribed
Ratings:
What others have rated
Hon. John G. Koeltl
evaluator
ID
date
Temp* Sch* Indu* Comp* Punct* Ev-Cv* Ev-Cr* Flex Bail Crim Settle Trial Sent Coop Average
Civil Litigation - Private
32542
1/2/19
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
Civil Litigation - Private
25333
1/1/18
10
8
8
9
9
10
0
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
9
Civil Litigation - Private
22361
1/1/15
1
1
1
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
Civil Litigation - Private
21815
1/2/14
10
10
10
10
10
10
0
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
Civil Litigation - Govt.
21308
1/2/13
3
1
1
3
4
1
1
2
0
0
1
0
0
1
2
Civil Litigation - Private
20831
1/2/13
9
10
8
10
8
8
0
7
0
0
0
0
0
0
8.8
Criminal Defense Lawyer
13193
1/2/11
3
6
5
0
10
0
5
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5.8
Civil Litigation - Private
12869
1/2/11
10
9
10
9
10
9
0
0
0
0
9
0
0
0
9.5
Civil Litigation - Govt.
9449
1/2/09
5
8
10
8
10
8
0
1
0
0
5
0
0
0
8.2
Litigant
7542
1/1/08
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
6646
1/2/08
9
10
8
10
4
9
0
6
0
0
0
0
0
0
8.3
Civil Litigation - Private
5038
1/1/07
10
9
8
9
9
10
0
9
0
0
0
0
0
0
9.2
Criminal Defense Lawyer
4927
1/2/07
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
1
1
1
1
Civil Litigation - Private
4803
1/2/07
10
10
10
10
6
10
0
9
0
0
0
0
0
0
9.3
Criminal Defense Lawyer
3295
1/2/06
3
8
0
8
0
5
0
2
0
0
3
0
0
0
6
Other
3049
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
2859
1/2/06
9
8
10
9
4
0
8
7
0
0
0
0
0
0
8
Civil Litigation - Private
1702
1/2/06
10
0
10
0
10
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
Criminal Defense Lawyer
1003
1/1/06
8
10
10
10
6
0
5
5
0
5
0
5
5
0
8.2
category average
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
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
32542
1/2/19
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
25333
1/1/18
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
22361
1/1/15
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
21815
1/2/14
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Govt.
21308
1/2/13
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
20831
1/2/13
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
13193
1/2/11
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
12869
1/2/11
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Govt.
9449
1/2/09
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Litigant
7542
1/1/08
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
6646
1/2/08
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
5038
1/1/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
4927
1/2/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
4803
1/2/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
3295
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Other
3049
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
2859
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
1702
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
1003
1/1/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
category average
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Non-lawyer Rating
(if applicable)
evaluator
ID
date
Rating
Other
33048
2/27/25
1
Litigant
25351
1/1/18
1
Litigant
24018
1/2/16
10
Litigant
21817
1/2/14
1
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. John G. Koeltl
Other
comment #:
33048
rating:
Very rude. When he needs certain assistance he demands things and tells them to "let him speak". Very unprofessional for a person of his tenure and status. Will not recommend him to anyone.
2/27/25, 5:47 PM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
32542
rating:
10
Bright,fair and patient. I could not ask for more in a Judge. Makes the rest of the judges in the Southern District look like humps, which in fact a lot of them are.
1/2/19, 3:52 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
25333
rating:
9
Fair, thorough, careful. Easy to work with as a lawyer. Somewhat pedantic and tends to find issues where none exist, creating extra work for lawyers and their clients. But all-in-all, a smart, evenhanded judge who is pleasant, thoughtful and evenhanded.
1/1/18, 4:02 PM
Litigant
comment #:
25351
rating:
0
Fuck you, fuck you. Your a piece of shit and I hope you die a slow death motherfucker. You left me with nothing and poor I will see you in Hell motherfucker. You and Sweden!!!
1/1/18, 10:44 PM
Litigant
comment #:
24018
rating:
0
Judge Koeltl takes his adjudicative and administrative responsibilities very seriously. He reviews each and every submission with serious dedication and a high degree thoroughness. He's smart, hardworking, and very-very fair. As a criticism, he can be slow to determine matters under submission.
1/2/16, 3:30 PM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
22361
rating:
1
Judge Koeltl is so convinced of his own intellectual superiority that, when it suits him, he is willing to ignore the law, facts, and equities in order to arrive at his own pre-determined and patently wrong conclusion. His handling of a civil rights matter was atrocious in every respect. Although plaintiffs had righteous and plausible claims, this man made clear his extreme and inexplicable hostility to plaintiffs and their claims from day one. His bias in favor of defendants was extreme and self-evident, as he barred discovery and then dismissed the complaint based exclusively on nonsensical and counter-intuitive theories and arguments that defendants themselves--for good reason-- deliberately chose not to make. His so-called 'intellectual superiority' also turned out to be a crock, as his decision made a mess out of the proper legal standard to be applied, so much so that it was virtually incomprehensible. This judge went out of his way to protect wrongdoers and punish the innocent, and extraordinarily aggrieved, plaintiffs. In several cases involving a statute of limitations analysis, he gave far more respect and deference to a billionaire fighting over the authenticity of an antique bottle of wine than dozens of men who were sexually abused as children by a trusted and revered principal and teacher. He treated the latter group of men, at every turn, as if they didn't matter. Not once in the case did he make any comment to the effect that the prominent school's multi-decade cover-up of sexual abuse, which permitted scores of children to be abused after the school knew that it was employing sexual predators (and continued to employ them), offended his sensibilities or merited condemnation. This man, under his veneer of civility and intellectual rigor, lacks the basic empathy for human suffering that every decent judge should have. He has earned, and earned with distinction, the lowest possible rating.
1/1/15, 9:32 PM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
21815
rating:
10
One of the best jurists. Brilliant, incredible work ethic, knows the facts and law cold. Judge Koeltl is exceptionally adroit at nuances in jurisprudence.
1/2/14, 2:59 PM
Litigant
comment #:
21817
rating:
0
Judge Koeltl clearly knows the law but his shows a bias in most of his rulings toward the most liberal interpretation of case law and court rules in favor of the plaintiff irrespective of the particular merits of the case. The only check on him is his absolute fear of reversal. He's terrified of it. One will see that he states a position on a case verbally then rules differently in writing. In my case, as a civil rights defendant, Koetl's decision was reversed by the Appealate Court on a simple Rule 50 motion. He's enamored of himself and I dare say, he's the only one who is. He is not an objective judge.
1/2/14, 2:23 AM
Civil Litigation - Govt.
comment #:
21308
rating:
2
If you get this judge, request another -- he says that he believes in one thing and then he does another. He is a total hypocrite, with regard to his alleged values.
1/2/13, 3:09 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
20831
rating:
8.8
Very smart and even-handed. Lawyer-friendly and a genuinely nice man. Tends to overanalyze matters, which can sometimes create extra work.
1/2/13, 8:21 PM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
13193
rating:
5.8
This judge believes he is the reincarnation of Justice John marshall, but in practice is just a shorter version of the stiff 'old boy network' judge in the film 'My Cousin Vinny', excellently portrayed by the late Fred Gwynn. In fact, with his faux Mayflower demeanor, this judge might have done a credible job as a stand in for Herman Munster.
1/2/11, 6:03 PM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
12869
rating:
9.5
Very fair judge who wants to get it right.
1/2/11, 3:15 AM
Civil Litigation - Govt.
comment #:
9449
rating:
8.2
Judge Koeltl is clearly a left of center jurist who is intelligent but haughty. He is predisposed against summary judgement in favor of the government/law enforcement even when clearly appropriate and governed by law. He'd rather allow a jury to find culpability on the part of the goverment and law enforcement though no culpability should accrue, relying on Rule 50 and 51b motions to be made by the defense rather than to dismiss a jury's inappropriate finding. His charge to civil juries leave a great deal to be desired and he appears to be terrified of being reversed; the only factor complelling him to rule appropriately in frivilous cases against law enforcement. I'd give him an over all rating of 5 out of 10; 10 being the best rating.
1/2/09, 12:46 AM
Litigant
comment #:
7542
rating:
0
This judge has disregarded the rules of evidence specifically related to what is a settlement discussion. How could discussions or a memo of discussions between two defendants constitute settlement discussions if the memo was written years before a lawsuit was even started?
1/1/08, 10:28 PM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
6646
rating:
8.3
One of the intellectual giants of the SDNY, he knows the case before him (and the authorities) better than the lawyers. Argument on motions with him are marathons and he will cover every issue raised by the parties and otherwise. In one sense, the best judge around; in another, I feel he relishes showing that he knows more than the lawyers do, that he is playing 'gotcha' and is looking for the lawyers to concede he's right rather than looking for guidance or information. But with so many other judges being superficial or unprepared, it's nice to have one who considers, understands and resolves every argument in a thorough and well-reasoned manner, even if he's ruling against you.
1/2/08, 2:06 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
5038
rating:
9.2
A patient, thoughtful judge, who lets each side makes its full case, carefully listens to it all, and then makes a clear, concise ruling. Deceptively quiet demeanor, but very bright and very fair.
1/1/07, 10:35 PM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
4927
rating:
1
This judge doesn't have the sense he was born with. The 28-month sentence for Lynn Stewert was an abomination, not just to New Yorkers but everywhere throughout the U.S. Clinton appointed many good judges; this clown is not in the group. It is unsurprising there are no ratings listed form prosecutors and everyday citizens. A more comprehensive survey would, no doubt, result in across-the-board 1s. And to think he has obtained a lifetime appointment. I only hope the odds disfavor him being assigned another terrorism case. He has done enough mollycoddling!
1/2/07, 3:13 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
4803
rating:
9.3
We had an extremely complex matter before Judge Koeltl six years ago. He is extremely hard working, fair and highly intelligent. He takes the facts, applies the law and issues his well thought out decisions in a timely and methodical manner. We would all be much better off if there were more Judge Koeltls on the bench.
1/2/07, 9:18 AM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
3295
rating:
6
He sanctioned an attorney for not attending a conference when it was his confusion that caused the non-attendance in the first place. It should have been rescheduled due to the miscommunication. The case was resolved favorably, but way too much time was spent on that one issue.
1/2/06, 11:18 AM
Other
comment #:
3049
rating:
0
Why wasn't this woman tried for the 5,000 American deaths, those of WTC and American Troop losses in Afghanistan and Iraq? Why wasn't she tried for treason? Her job is to defend, not Aid & Abet or Give Safe Harbor to criminals. Shame on you and on her for the remainder of your wretched lives.
1/2/06, 12:39 AM
HOME
bottom of page