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THE ROBING ROOM
where judges are judged
Hon. Cecilia M. Altonaga
District judge
S.D.Fla.
11th Circuit
Average Rating:
6.9
-
25
rating(s)
rating submitted
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Ratings:
What others have rated
Hon. Cecilia M. Altonaga
evaluator
ID
date
Temp* Sch* Indu* Comp* Punct* Ev-Cv* Ev-Cr* Flex Bail Crim Settle Trial Sent Coop Average
Civil Litigation - Private
21912
1/2/14
1
7
10
10
10
1
0
8
0
0
1
0
0
0
6.5
Other
21786
1/1/14
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Prosecutor
21756
1/2/14
5
6
6
5
7
0
6
7
6
5
0
5
4
5
5.8
Civil Litigation - Private
21272
1/2/13
9
9
10
10
0
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
9.2
Prosecutor
20754
1/2/13
7
8
9
0
8
0
8
0
0
6
0
6
7
0
8
Criminal Defense Lawyer
19065
1/2/12
9
10
10
10
10
0
10
8
4
5
0
5
4
4
9.8
Criminal Defense Lawyer
13797
1/2/12
1
8
5
1
10
1
0
2
0
0
1
0
0
0
4.3
Civil Litigation - Private
12552
1/2/11
1
5
10
3
10
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
4.4
Civil Litigation - Private
8902
1/2/09
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Civil Litigation - Private
5537
1/2/08
10
10
10
10
10
9
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
9.8
Civil Litigation - Private
4939
1/2/07
9
9
9
9
8
9
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
8.8
Civil Litigation - Private
4649
1/3/07
10
10
10
10
10
0
0
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
Other
4572
1/2/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Other
4382
1/2/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
3572
1/2/07
3
7
5
5
8
0
3
2
0
10
0
5
9
3
5.2
Criminal Defense Lawyer
2695
1/2/06
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
Civil Litigation - Private
2424
1/2/06
10
10
10
10
6
10
0
6
0
0
1
0
0
0
9.3
Court Staff
2150
1/1/06
5
5
3
5
7
4
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4.4
Civil Litigation - Private
2169
1/2/06
1
1
1
1
6
1
0
5
0
0
1
0
0
0
1.8
Criminal Defense Lawyer
1984
1/1/06
8
6
7
5
7
5
5
6
10
9
6
8
7
2
6.1
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
21912
1/2/14
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Other
21786
1/1/14
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Prosecutor
21756
1/2/14
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
21272
1/2/13
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Prosecutor
20754
1/2/13
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
19065
1/2/12
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
13797
1/2/12
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
12552
1/2/11
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
8902
1/2/09
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
5537
1/2/08
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
4939
1/2/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
4649
1/3/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Other
4572
1/2/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Other
4382
1/2/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
3572
1/2/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
2695
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
2424
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Court Staff
2150
1/1/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
2169
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
1984
1/1/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
category average
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Non-lawyer Rating
(if applicable)
evaluator
ID
date
Rating
Other
21785
1/1/14
1
Other
3836
1/2/07
9
Other
2693
1/2/06
8
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. Cecilia M. Altonaga
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
21912
rating:
6.5
Judge Altonaga's industriousness and formidable intellect are overshadowed by her lack of appropriate judicial demeanor. She is hot headed, caustic, generally lacks courtesy and has a nasty attitude. She should not be on the bench.
1/2/14, 4:14 AM
Other
comment #:
21785
rating:
0
This judge, by even accepting the illegal and fraudulent case against Dr. Steve Pieczenik, and hearing it, is committing the greatest judicial fraud of her career. This is all connected to the cover-up around Sgt. Bergdahl, a case on which POTUS could be impeached. She should get a conscience, stop running cover on behapf of her political commanders, and burn this cover-up to the ground. She can do that with a word and a batch of courage.
1/1/14, 2:20 PM
Other
comment #:
21786
rating:
0
I find her to be on the side of the HUGE firms but as far as covering up for POTUS you are out of your mind! You have a major problem hopefully your son will be a POW. The men traded are old and shot by now anyway .
1/1/14, 3:43 PM
Prosecutor
comment #:
21756
rating:
5.8
Overall a good judge BUT troubling rulings on AEDPA case...Latest fiasco is No. 13-11789 POPE vs FLA. 11th circuit had for the second time REVERSE her grant of writ of habeas corpus. She just cant get the '...determination was not contrary to or an unreasonable application of clearly established Supreme Court law' She has a problem with Death Penalty cases and makes you wonder if she can be elevated to higher court.
1/2/14, 3:02 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
21272
rating:
9.2
Quite simply an excellent judge.
1/2/13, 3:44 PM
Prosecutor
comment #:
20754
rating:
8
Judge Altonaga can be very smart and pleasant. But sometimes she 'goes off the reservation' with rulings and can be a little harsh -- unnecessarily so -- with lawyers appearing before her.
1/2/13, 3:24 AM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
19065
rating:
9.8
Excellent & fair judge . Listens to both sides of an argument.
1/2/12, 12:21 PM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
13797
rating:
4.3
She needs to actually understand the issues before rulimg which she does in a NY minute certainly not a Cuban minute. Plays the game as though she is giving you a fair shake but when it gets hot she can't handle it. Doesn't want to have to make a controversial decision or piss off the big firms and I believe her husband works for Holland and Knight. Makes me appreciate James Lwrence King, the late Judge Eaton and Roetteger as well as Peter Faye. True, honest, unbiased jurists!
1/2/12, 8:06 PM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
12552
rating:
4.4
Intelligent, aggressive, heavy-handed, hot-headed and extremely biased in favor of civil defendants, especially the more establishment types. She tends to take the lead and ram cases through. Responds to written motions with written orders in record time, sometimes the same day. Not a good horse for the little people to bet on. Doesn't seem to tolerate pro se litigants whatsoever.
1/2/11, 4:51 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
8902
rating:
1
One of the worst most rude Jugde's that I have ever come across, she tramples on people's rights and shold not be on the bench, she is hateful to say the very least.
1/2/09, 4:28 AM