THE ROBING ROOM

In response to the one posted comment, I do think that Judge Jones comes off as old-time southern -- but I do not find that 'positive' at all. I don't find his demeanor or temperment to be 'gentleman[ly]' either. I have seen him yell at women lawyers, though not men. He is very insensitive to civil rights plaintiffs in discrimination cases. In mediation, he can be a bully. He will tell plaintiffs and their attorneys that they have no case, even though the judge has upheld the claims against motions to dismiss and summary judgment. He will tell plaintiffs that they will end up liable for the defendant's attorneys' fees if they pursue their cases. He can be personally insulting, in front of your client, indicating that you, as the attorney, don't know what you are doing, until you cite the controlling case law or show him documented admissions by the defendant that establish the facts as you have presented them -- even though you cited and discussed it all in the Mediation Statement. With respect to his rulings on discovery, he is certainly better and less biased than he is in Mediation. I do believe that he reads the filings. I agree that he probably has made up his mind based on the papers, but then why put us through oral argument? I would rather he state his inclinations at the outset and give the parties an opportunity to make points that he may have missed or misunderstood.