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THE ROBING ROOM
where judges are judged
Hon. Samuel B. Kent
District judge
S.D.Tex.
5th Circuit
Average Rating:
5.5
-
9
rating(s)
rating submitted
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Ratings:
What others have rated
Hon. Samuel B. Kent
evaluator
ID
date
Temp* Sch* Indu* Comp* Punct* Ev-Cv* Ev-Cr* Flex Bail Crim Settle Trial Sent Coop Average
Civil Litigation - Private
5087
1/2/07
7
9
7
7
3
1
0
2
0
0
10
0
0
0
5.7
Civil Litigation - Private
5113
1/3/07
10
10
10
10
10
10
0
5
0
0
8
0
0
0
10
Civil Litigation - Private
5017
1/1/07
7
10
8
9
10
10
0
8
0
0
5
0
0
0
9
Court Staff
4843
1/2/07
5
5
2
7
2
3
7
5
5
4
7
0
0
0
4.4
Civil Litigation - Private
2990
1/1/06
1
1
2
2
1
1
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.3
Criminal Defense Lawyer
2935
1/1/06
2
4
3
5
4
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3.2
Civil Litigation - Private
2940
1/1/06
1
6
6
6
6
2
0
2
0
0
4
0
0
0
4.5
Criminal Defense Lawyer
1473
1/2/06
5
5
8
5
0
0
6
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5.8
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
5087
1/2/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
5113
1/3/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
5017
1/1/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Court Staff
4843
1/2/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
2990
1/1/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
2935
1/1/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
2940
1/1/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
1473
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
category average
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-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Non-lawyer Rating
(if applicable)
evaluator
ID
date
Rating
Other
3492
1/2/07
3
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. Samuel B. Kent
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
5087
rating:
5.7
1/2/07, 8:40 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
5113
rating:
10
I tried several civil bank fraud cases as outside counsel for FDIC/RTC in the early `90's before Judge Kent. At the very first hearing, he graciously informed me and all the defendants' attorneys that he did not believe in bank fraud or that it had caused all those institutions to fail, but rather felt that it was more a product of sloppy, fast-and-loose banking. He also expressed his dissatisfaction with all the litigation that had flooded his court coming from the FDIC, the identical complaint coming from every federal judge in Texas I practiced before. The morning the first trial started, with an FDIC in-house counsel present in the courtroom, he informed us that if we did not prove bank fraud he would sanction the FDIC until the foundations of its office in Washington, D.C. shook. He then gave us fifteen minutes to decide whether or not we wished to proceed with the trial. We proceeded and at its conclusion, Judge Kent admitted that there was indeed such a thing as bank fraud and then entered a non-dischargeable judgment of over $40 million dollars against the defendants, jointly and severally. If you prove your case in front of Judge Kent, you will win and the judgment will stand up on appeal.
1/3/07, 12:26 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
5017
rating:
9
When the lawyers acted 'old school' (showed up on time well-prepared, forceful advocacy then have a cup of coffee together afterward, that sort of thing), the judge was as happy as a clam with them both. Deviate from that approach and he'd get a bit peckish.
1/1/07, 6:49 PM
Court Staff
comment #:
4843
rating:
4.4
This guy hates plaintiffs and is not fair to plaintiff attorneys. He does not like unprepared attorneys, and will embarrass you if you aren't ready for trial. He tends to be unfair to former law clerks. At times, he goes so far as to transfer cases handled by former clerks on his own motion.
1/2/07, 5:26 AM
Other
comment #:
3492
rating:
0
He is a friend of the plaintiff and works hard to see that they always recover something. Virtually no plaintiff walks away empty handed unless they lack a true claim or it is time barred. Kent has his 'pet' lawyers, especially former law clerks that tend to confuse their true ability with Kent's favoritism as they try their best to convince you they know the outcome of the case before the fight even starts. The Galveston is not for the faint of heart. Kent can best be described as 'mercurial,' and that is being kind.
1/2/07, 5:50 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
2990
rating:
1.3
1/1/06, 6:52 PM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
2935
rating:
3.2
The Fifth Circuit recently took the extraordinary step of taking cases away from Judge Kent that had been filed by special 'friends' of the judge. Even so, don't expect impartiality here. He does write some fabulously caustic, yet erudite opinions chastising lawyers who make amateurish mistakes.
1/1/06, 10:46 PM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
2940
rating:
4.5
A very tough and somewhat eccentric judge. He is childish but honest, and he always tells the parties which way he is leaning during pretrial matters...if he says you are going to lose, you will.
1/1/06, 11:11 PM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
1473
rating:
5.8
I have only appeared before Judge Kent in one case--habeas corpus. He assigned to case to his magistrate and generally adopted everything. Judge Kent has a reputation for being extremely conservative and unbending.
1/2/06, 11:05 PM
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