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THE ROBING ROOM
where judges are judged
Hon. Susan K. Gauvey
Magistrate judge
D.Md.
4th Circuit
Average Rating:
6.1
-
10
rating(s)
rating submitted
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Ratings:
What others have rated
Hon. Susan K. Gauvey
evaluator
ID
date
Temp* Sch* Indu* Comp* Punct* Ev-Cv* Ev-Cr* Flex Bail Crim Settle Trial Sent Coop Average
Civil Litigation - Private
21216
1/1/13
1
1
4
1
7
1
0
7
0
0
0
0
0
0
2.5
Civil Litigation - Private
19186
1/2/12
8
5
6
0
9
0
0
0
0
0
8
0
0
0
7
Civil Litigation - Private
18691
1/1/12
8
8
9
8
9
8
0
9
0
0
10
0
0
0
8.3
Civil Litigation - Private
13608
1/2/12
3
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
10
0
0
0
2.5
Civil Litigation - Private
12745
1/2/11
10
10
10
10
10
10
0
0
0
0
10
0
0
0
10
Criminal Defense Lawyer
8460
1/2/09
9
10
10
9
10
10
10
10
5
5
10
0
0
0
9.7
Civil Litigation - Private
4537
1/2/07
2
3
7
4
7
2
0
5
0
0
0
0
0
0
4.2
Criminal Defense Lawyer
1748
1/2/06
8
8
6
0
2
0
8
8
3
0
0
0
0
0
6.4
Civil Litigation - Private
1648
1/2/06
3
6
5
3
6
3
0
5
0
0
0
0
0
0
4.3
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
21216
1/1/13
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
19186
1/2/12
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
18691
1/1/12
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
13608
1/2/12
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
12745
1/2/11
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
8460
1/2/09
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
4537
1/2/07
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Criminal Defense Lawyer
1748
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Civil Litigation - Private
1648
1/2/06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
category average
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Non-lawyer Rating
(if applicable)
evaluator
ID
date
Rating
Other
8842
1/1/09
10
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. Susan K. Gauvey
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
21216
rating:
2.5
This is possibly the worst magistrate judge on the federal bench. She is high-handed, temperamental, and utterly insistent on inserting herself inappropriately into the attorney-client relationship. She should never get an Article III appointment.
1/1/13, 9:30 PM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
19186
rating:
7
I just had an employment mediation with Judge Gauvey. She was very nice to everyone, although clearly was annoyed at me and my client for trying to keep the settlement dollars low once we got very close. She spent a lot of time with the plaintiff, talking to her and trying to 'find out about her,' which was an approach I don't see. I don't know if it helped the case settle or not. The case might have settled without her, and she definitely pushed my client to come up with more money than they wanted to pay, but it was still a range a consider a good settlement.
1/2/12, 9:27 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
18691
rating:
8.3
I have had at least six mediations in civil employment cases with Judge Gauvey, and nearly every one has settled. This is evidence of her ability to equally annoy and push each side to reconsider their positions and move even when they don't want to move any further. She can be testy and tough, but she achieves results that are, in the end, fair to both sides.
1/1/12, 10:24 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
13608
rating:
2.5
In Mediation, she will keep you captive all day and into the night -- even if everyone is tired, hungry, thirsty and the air is off in the building. She will try to talk to your client outside of your presence and try to degrade you as an attorney in front of your client. She threatens the plaintiff with being saddled with the defendants' costs if they lose and fails to acknowledge case law that applies certain criteria to such decisions, particularly in civil rights cases, rather than automatically taxing costs to all plaintiffs who do not prevail. I don't know how she is on the bench, since she was assigned to my case only as a Mediator.
1/2/12, 7:23 PM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
12745
rating:
10
She's a great judge and asset to the northern division. Very hard worker. A great setttlemnt judge. No nonsense, however in other words, don't try to con her and best be prepared.
1/2/11, 2:57 AM
Other
comment #:
8842
rating:
0
She is one of the most fair people I know. She always pushes to try to reach the best conclusion for all parties. She will work tirelessly on an opinion until she truly understands every aspect of it. She is never content when anything is half done. I think she expects this of anyone who comes before her as well. She expects near perfection, and grows frustrated when people leave work incomplete. This is, most likely, what angers people about her. Do your homework and you'll be fine. Wish her only the very best luck on a Article III appointment.
1/1/09, 12:05 PM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
8460
rating:
9.7
She is bright, thorough, and fair. Rubs people the wrong way sometimes, but she doesn't care, as long as she gets the job done.
1/2/09, 6:33 PM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
4537
rating:
4.2
Judge Gauvey's demeanor is among the worst, with her frequently being biased and disrepectful for no apparent reason. Judge Gauvey is the poster child for 'judge-itis' syndrome. We would agree with the other poster's analysis, especially as to her lacking judgment, being hypertechnical and overtly ambitious.
1/2/07, 7:43 AM
Criminal Defense Lawyer
comment #:
1748
rating:
6.4
1/2/06, 3:17 AM
Civil Litigation - Private
comment #:
1648
rating:
4.3
Gauvey is bright. She is also pedantic, impractical, lacking in both judgment and trial experience (as a lawyer). She was hypertechnical in private practice and brought that quality to the bench. She is extremely ambitious and fearless in using the publication of her rulings as a means to raise her profile. Heaven help us if she ever gets an Article III appointment.
1/2/06, 2:32 AM
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