THE ROBING ROOM

I have had settlement conferences with most of DConn’s USMJ and all have been polite and helpful. Judge Merriam was neither. She was rude to me, my client, opposing counsel, and his client. She would interrupt us and say things like “Well that’s not how it’s done with me” and “My courtroom, my rules.” Haughty. Abrupt. My conference with her was about 8 or10 years ago, but I’m posting this now (Jan 2026) because of recent press about her berating and belittling her clerks. Based on how she acted during my conference with her, I was not surprised to read these allegations.