Best and worst judges to clerk for Forum

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Re: Best and worst judges to clerk for

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Apr 12, 2023 1:11 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 12:09 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 11:23 am
Soto on D. Ariz. got a smack from Judge Collins for summarily affirming all R&Rs even after the Ninth Circuit told him to cut it out
Soto’s still a great judge to appear before who knows how to run a courtroom (he’s sort of slow but thorough, prepared, and respectful) and I can’t imagine the above would make him a bad judge to clerk for.
This speaks far more to Collins than Soto. It is standard practice to adopt R&R's without comment when the district judge agrees with the magistrate judge. The entire purpose of referring a motion is to more efficiently distribute the district court's workload among judges.

Collins may have a point that the MJ's decision was wrong, but criticizing the practice of adopting R&R's is just out of left field.

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Re: Best and worst judges to clerk for

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Apr 12, 2023 1:51 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 1:11 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 12:09 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 11:23 am
Soto on D. Ariz. got a smack from Judge Collins for summarily affirming all R&Rs even after the Ninth Circuit told him to cut it out
Soto’s still a great judge to appear before who knows how to run a courtroom (he’s sort of slow but thorough, prepared, and respectful) and I can’t imagine the above would make him a bad judge to clerk for.
This speaks far more to Collins than Soto. It is standard practice to adopt R&R's without comment when the district judge agrees with the magistrate judge. The entire purpose of referring a motion is to more efficiently distribute the district court's workload among judges.

Collins may have a point that the MJ's decision was wrong, but criticizing the practice of adopting R&R's is just out of left field.
There is a serious argument that this "standard practice" does not comport with Article III or 28 USC 636. Letting magistrate judges effectively act as district judges without meaningful review--particularly when Congress has specifically directed district judges to review orders on motions to suppress de novo if a party objects to the R&R to avoid Article III concerns--is not kosher, regardless of whether it is more efficient or economical.

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Re: Best and worst judges to clerk for

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Apr 12, 2023 2:09 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 1:51 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 1:11 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 12:09 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 11:23 am
Soto on D. Ariz. got a smack from Judge Collins for summarily affirming all R&Rs even after the Ninth Circuit told him to cut it out
Soto’s still a great judge to appear before who knows how to run a courtroom (he’s sort of slow but thorough, prepared, and respectful) and I can’t imagine the above would make him a bad judge to clerk for.
This speaks far more to Collins than Soto. It is standard practice to adopt R&R's without comment when the district judge agrees with the magistrate judge. The entire purpose of referring a motion is to more efficiently distribute the district court's workload among judges.

Collins may have a point that the MJ's decision was wrong, but criticizing the practice of adopting R&R's is just out of left field.
There is a serious argument that this "standard practice" does not comport with Article III or 28 USC 636. Letting magistrate judges effectively act as district judges without meaningful review--particularly when Congress has specifically directed district judges to review orders on motions to suppress de novo if a party objects to the R&R to avoid Article III concerns--is not kosher, regardless of whether it is more efficient or economical.
I mean a summary affirmation doesn’t mean the DCt didn’t review and agree with the R&R, it just means that the court didn’t feel it necessary to add anything to the magistrate’s analysis. If your point is that a summary affirmation doesn’t prove that the DCt reviewed it, eh, true, but Tucson’s a high volume district and I’d assume that Soto wants to spend his/his clerks’ time on better things.

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Re: Best and worst judges to clerk for

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Apr 12, 2023 2:18 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 2:09 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 1:51 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 1:11 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 12:09 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 11:23 am
Soto on D. Ariz. got a smack from Judge Collins for summarily affirming all R&Rs even after the Ninth Circuit told him to cut it out
Soto’s still a great judge to appear before who knows how to run a courtroom (he’s sort of slow but thorough, prepared, and respectful) and I can’t imagine the above would make him a bad judge to clerk for.
This speaks far more to Collins than Soto. It is standard practice to adopt R&R's without comment when the district judge agrees with the magistrate judge. The entire purpose of referring a motion is to more efficiently distribute the district court's workload among judges.

Collins may have a point that the MJ's decision was wrong, but criticizing the practice of adopting R&R's is just out of left field.
There is a serious argument that this "standard practice" does not comport with Article III or 28 USC 636. Letting magistrate judges effectively act as district judges without meaningful review--particularly when Congress has specifically directed district judges to review orders on motions to suppress de novo if a party objects to the R&R to avoid Article III concerns--is not kosher, regardless of whether it is more efficient or economical.
I mean a summary affirmation doesn’t mean the DCt didn’t review and agree with the R&R, it just means that the court didn’t feel it necessary to add anything to the magistrate’s analysis. If your point is that a summary affirmation doesn’t prove that the DCt reviewed it, eh, true, but Tucson’s a high volume district and I’d assume that Soto wants to spend his/his clerks’ time on better things.
I'm sure after Stern v. Marshall and progeny John Roberts and company could find a reason that makes this practice unconstitutional and totally fuck over a lot of districts and create backlogs (for that matter same think with bankruptcy courts). I don't think they will (at least not at this moment), but it provides a good opportunity for circuit judges to signal their seriousness about how far they're willing to go and get press coverage and thus set themselves up for SCOTUS.

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Re: Best and worst judges to clerk for

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Apr 12, 2023 2:53 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 1:11 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 12:09 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 11:23 am
Soto on D. Ariz. got a smack from Judge Collins for summarily affirming all R&Rs even after the Ninth Circuit told him to cut it out
Soto’s still a great judge to appear before who knows how to run a courtroom (he’s sort of slow but thorough, prepared, and respectful) and I can’t imagine the above would make him a bad judge to clerk for.
This speaks far more to Collins than Soto. It is standard practice to adopt R&R's without comment when the district judge agrees with the magistrate judge. The entire purpose of referring a motion is to more efficiently distribute the district court's workload among judges.

Collins may have a point that the MJ's decision was wrong, but criticizing the practice of adopting R&R's is just out of left field.
What? I clerked on SDNY and CA2, not in CA9, but I’ve never seen a district judge accept an R&R without comment *over objections*. Let alone accept one with a seemingly obvious problem—and 25 others in a row, after being told once to stop it. With no objections, sure. But de novo means de novo, and I’m confident CA2 would give a slap at least as hard as Collins’s to a judge who made this a habit.

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Re: Best and worst judges to clerk for

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Apr 12, 2023 3:02 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 2:18 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 2:09 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 1:51 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 1:11 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 12:09 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 11:23 am
Soto on D. Ariz. got a smack from Judge Collins for summarily affirming all R&Rs even after the Ninth Circuit told him to cut it out
Soto’s still a great judge to appear before who knows how to run a courtroom (he’s sort of slow but thorough, prepared, and respectful) and I can’t imagine the above would make him a bad judge to clerk for.
This speaks far more to Collins than Soto. It is standard practice to adopt R&R's without comment when the district judge agrees with the magistrate judge. The entire purpose of referring a motion is to more efficiently distribute the district court's workload among judges.

Collins may have a point that the MJ's decision was wrong, but criticizing the practice of adopting R&R's is just out of left field.
There is a serious argument that this "standard practice" does not comport with Article III or 28 USC 636. Letting magistrate judges effectively act as district judges without meaningful review--particularly when Congress has specifically directed district judges to review orders on motions to suppress de novo if a party objects to the R&R to avoid Article III concerns--is not kosher, regardless of whether it is more efficient or economical.
I mean a summary affirmation doesn’t mean the DCt didn’t review and agree with the R&R, it just means that the court didn’t feel it necessary to add anything to the magistrate’s analysis. If your point is that a summary affirmation doesn’t prove that the DCt reviewed it, eh, true, but Tucson’s a high volume district and I’d assume that Soto wants to spend his/his clerks’ time on better things.
I'm sure after Stern v. Marshall and progeny John Roberts and company could find a reason that makes this practice unconstitutional and totally fuck over a lot of districts and create backlogs (for that matter same think with bankruptcy courts). I don't think they will (at least not at this moment), but it provides a good opportunity for circuit judges to signal their seriousness about how far they're willing to go and get press coverage and thus set themselves up for SCOTUS.
Yeah I’m sure 60-year-old Dan Collins is really eyeing a SCOTUS elevation

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Re: Best and worst judges to clerk for

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Apr 12, 2023 3:06 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 3:02 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 2:18 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 2:09 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 1:51 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 1:11 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 12:09 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 11:23 am
Soto on D. Ariz. got a smack from Judge Collins for summarily affirming all R&Rs even after the Ninth Circuit told him to cut it out
Soto’s still a great judge to appear before who knows how to run a courtroom (he’s sort of slow but thorough, prepared, and respectful) and I can’t imagine the above would make him a bad judge to clerk for.
This speaks far more to Collins than Soto. It is standard practice to adopt R&R's without comment when the district judge agrees with the magistrate judge. The entire purpose of referring a motion is to more efficiently distribute the district court's workload among judges.

Collins may have a point that the MJ's decision was wrong, but criticizing the practice of adopting R&R's is just out of left field.
There is a serious argument that this "standard practice" does not comport with Article III or 28 USC 636. Letting magistrate judges effectively act as district judges without meaningful review--particularly when Congress has specifically directed district judges to review orders on motions to suppress de novo if a party objects to the R&R to avoid Article III concerns--is not kosher, regardless of whether it is more efficient or economical.
I mean a summary affirmation doesn’t mean the DCt didn’t review and agree with the R&R, it just means that the court didn’t feel it necessary to add anything to the magistrate’s analysis. If your point is that a summary affirmation doesn’t prove that the DCt reviewed it, eh, true, but Tucson’s a high volume district and I’d assume that Soto wants to spend his/his clerks’ time on better things.
I'm sure after Stern v. Marshall and progeny John Roberts and company could find a reason that makes this practice unconstitutional and totally fuck over a lot of districts and create backlogs (for that matter same think with bankruptcy courts). I don't think they will (at least not at this moment), but it provides a good opportunity for circuit judges to signal their seriousness about how far they're willing to go and get press coverage and thus set themselves up for SCOTUS.
Yeah I’m sure 60-year-old Dan Collins is really eyeing a SCOTUS elevation
Folks like Mr. Stern v. Marshall are why people have trouble taking young liberal lawyers seriously. AFAIK, Judge Collins is not aiming for elevation (nor would he even be eligible, since he's ancient by SCOTUS nominee standards), and he's not the first CA9 Judge to identify issues with this particular District Court Judge's practices.

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Re: Best and worst judges to clerk for

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Apr 12, 2023 3:50 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 2:53 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 1:11 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 12:09 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 11:23 am
Soto on D. Ariz. got a smack from Judge Collins for summarily affirming all R&Rs even after the Ninth Circuit told him to cut it out
Soto’s still a great judge to appear before who knows how to run a courtroom (he’s sort of slow but thorough, prepared, and respectful) and I can’t imagine the above would make him a bad judge to clerk for.
This speaks far more to Collins than Soto. It is standard practice to adopt R&R's without comment when the district judge agrees with the magistrate judge. The entire purpose of referring a motion is to more efficiently distribute the district court's workload among judges.

Collins may have a point that the MJ's decision was wrong, but criticizing the practice of adopting R&R's is just out of left field.
What? I clerked on SDNY and CA2, not in CA9, but I’ve never seen a district judge accept an R&R without comment *over objections*. Let alone accept one with a seemingly obvious problem—and 25 others in a row, after being told once to stop it. With no objections, sure. But de novo means de novo, and I’m confident CA2 would give a slap at least as hard as Collins’s to a judge who made this a habit.
You’re doubtless right, but it was still a dissent - his colleagues didn’t agree that this was a problem. So it’s hardly a universally held principle. (I also have to laugh a little because it seems like every time I look at a 2d Circuit case for something it’s a barebones, minimal analysis virtually summary disposition, so it’s not like the 2d Cir doesn’t also deal w/ constraints imposed by volume.)

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Re: Best and worst judges to clerk for

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Apr 12, 2023 4:54 pm

Seems like Collins doesn’t understand the role of a trial judge. The role of a trial judge is to make decisions, not write long treatises. Judges across the federal and state courts grant or deny motions, including from the bench, “summarily” without giving detailed reasons.

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Re: Best and worst judges to clerk for

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Apr 12, 2023 5:20 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 4:54 pm
Seems like Collins doesn’t understand the role of a trial judge. The role of a trial judge is to make decisions, not write long treatises. Judges across the federal and state courts grant or deny motions, including from the bench, “summarily” without giving detailed reasons.
Lots of comments from people who clerked for shitty judges or lack experience with federal litigation. Federal trial judges cannot rule without explanation, and when they do, it’s typically reversible error. The reasoning doesn’t need to be long, but it needs to exist, unlike in this case—especially on a dispositive motion. (Though this context is somewhat different from the usual because there’s an underlying R&R providing reasons.) State courts are different and have their own practices.

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Re: Best and worst judges to clerk for

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Apr 12, 2023 6:00 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 4:54 pm
Seems like Collins doesn’t understand the role of a trial judge. The role of a trial judge is to make decisions, not write long treatises. Judges across the federal and state courts grant or deny motions, including from the bench, “summarily” without giving detailed reasons.
This is absurd. My trial judge would be livid if I sent a draft order overruling objections on an R&R with no analysis whatsoever. I get that district courts are busy, but it’s not okay to just write “granted” or “denied” (or the boilerplate equivalent) on a dispositive order and call it a day.

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Re: Best and worst judges to clerk for

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Apr 12, 2023 7:00 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 5:20 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 4:54 pm
Seems like Collins doesn’t understand the role of a trial judge. The role of a trial judge is to make decisions, not write long treatises. Judges across the federal and state courts grant or deny motions, including from the bench, “summarily” without giving detailed reasons.
Lots of comments from people who clerked for shitty judges or lack experience with federal litigation. Federal trial judges cannot rule without explanation, and when they do, it’s typically reversible error. The reasoning doesn’t need to be long, but it needs to exist, unlike in this case—especially on a dispositive motion.
I haven’t followed this whole debate very closely but when I was clerking I vaguely remember my chambers construing Rule 52(a) to mean the exact opposite unless we were doing a bench trial decision.

Obviously different for an MJ vs. DJ or a DJ’s review of an MJ’s decision.

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Re: Best and worst judges to clerk for

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Apr 12, 2023 7:57 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 6:00 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 4:54 pm
Seems like Collins doesn’t understand the role of a trial judge. The role of a trial judge is to make decisions, not write long treatises. Judges across the federal and state courts grant or deny motions, including from the bench, “summarily” without giving detailed reasons.
This is absurd. My trial judge would be livid if I sent a draft order overruling objections on an R&R with no analysis whatsoever. I get that district courts are busy, but it’s not okay to just write “granted” or “denied” (or the boilerplate equivalent) on a dispositive order and call it a day.
And again, 2 of the 3 9th Cir judges on the panel had no problem with what happened here. So obviously it's something on which reasonable minds differ and there isn't much point in belaboring it further.

(As an aside, I think how judges run their chambers varies a lot more than people realize. It seems like there's a lot of discussion out there along the lines of "my judge always/my judge would never" and we all get acculturated to the way our judges did stuff and tend to think it's the objectively right way. Obviously some practices are objectively right (or wrong), but maybe not as many as we think.)

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Re: Best and worst judges to clerk for

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Apr 12, 2023 8:28 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 6:00 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 4:54 pm
Seems like Collins doesn’t understand the role of a trial judge. The role of a trial judge is to make decisions, not write long treatises. Judges across the federal and state courts grant or deny motions, including from the bench, “summarily” without giving detailed reasons.
This is absurd. My trial judge would be livid if I sent a draft order overruling objections on an R&R with no analysis whatsoever. I get that district courts are busy, but it’s not okay to just write “granted” or “denied” (or the boilerplate equivalent) on a dispositive order and call it a day.
It happens more than you think, unfortunately. Not saying that it’s a good thing, but it’s not unusual where I’m from.

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Re: Best and worst judges to clerk for

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Apr 13, 2023 12:08 am

Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 7:57 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 6:00 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 4:54 pm
Seems like Collins doesn’t understand the role of a trial judge. The role of a trial judge is to make decisions, not write long treatises. Judges across the federal and state courts grant or deny motions, including from the bench, “summarily” without giving detailed reasons.
This is absurd. My trial judge would be livid if I sent a draft order overruling objections on an R&R with no analysis whatsoever. I get that district courts are busy, but it’s not okay to just write “granted” or “denied” (or the boilerplate equivalent) on a dispositive order and call it a day.
And again, 2 of the 3 9th Cir judges on the panel had no problem with what happened here. So obviously it's something on which reasonable minds differ and there isn't much point in belaboring it further.

(As an aside, I think how judges run their chambers varies a lot more than people realize. It seems like there's a lot of discussion out there along the lines of "my judge always/my judge would never" and we all get acculturated to the way our judges did stuff and tend to think it's the objectively right way. Obviously some practices are objectively right (or wrong), but maybe not as many as we think.)
This becomes obvious once folks start practicing and you're on the other side of all of this variation

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Re: Best and worst judges to clerk for

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Apr 13, 2023 10:37 am

Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 7:57 pm

(As an aside, I think how judges run their chambers varies a lot more than people realize. It seems like there's a lot of discussion out there along the lines of "my judge always/my judge would never" and we all get acculturated to the way our judges did stuff and tend to think it's the objectively right way. Obviously some practices are objectively right (or wrong), but maybe not as many as we think.)
This exactly. My district judge thought the entire purpose of an R&R was to reduce our workload. Unless I saw serious problems with the MJ's work, the presumption was we'd adopt without comment. Obviously, many people who have chimed in here had different experiences, and the three Ninth Circuit judges involved here saw things differently from one another as well.

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Re: Best and worst judges to clerk for

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Apr 13, 2023 12:58 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Thu Apr 13, 2023 10:37 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 7:57 pm

(As an aside, I think how judges run their chambers varies a lot more than people realize. It seems like there's a lot of discussion out there along the lines of "my judge always/my judge would never" and we all get acculturated to the way our judges did stuff and tend to think it's the objectively right way. Obviously some practices are objectively right (or wrong), but maybe not as many as we think.)
This exactly. My district judge thought the entire purpose of an R&R was to reduce our workload. Unless I saw serious problems with the MJ's work, the presumption was we'd adopt without comment. Obviously, many people who have chimed in here had different experiences, and the three Ninth Circuit judges involved here saw things differently from one another as well.
Yeah I agree that some judges are too lazy or busy to really completely follow the law. You really notice a difference in thoroughness across district court judges sitting on a COA. There’s also such a thing as being overly thorough.

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Re: Best and worst judges to clerk for

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Apr 13, 2023 1:51 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Thu Apr 13, 2023 12:58 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Thu Apr 13, 2023 10:37 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Apr 12, 2023 7:57 pm

(As an aside, I think how judges run their chambers varies a lot more than people realize. It seems like there's a lot of discussion out there along the lines of "my judge always/my judge would never" and we all get acculturated to the way our judges did stuff and tend to think it's the objectively right way. Obviously some practices are objectively right (or wrong), but maybe not as many as we think.)
This exactly. My district judge thought the entire purpose of an R&R was to reduce our workload. Unless I saw serious problems with the MJ's work, the presumption was we'd adopt without comment. Obviously, many people who have chimed in here had different experiences, and the three Ninth Circuit judges involved here saw things differently from one another as well.
Yeah I agree that some judges are too lazy or busy to really completely follow the law. You really notice a difference in thoroughness across district court judges sitting on a COA. There’s also such a thing as being overly thorough.
I’m the first anon. My point wasn’t that some judges are too lazy or busy to completely follow the law (though that obviously also happens). My point was that judges can legitimately disagree on what the law requires of them.

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Re: Best and worst judges to clerk for

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Apr 13, 2023 11:21 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Thu Apr 13, 2023 12:58 pm
There’s also such a thing as being overly thorough.
a.k.a. The Judge Browning Story.

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Re: Best and worst judges to clerk for

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Apr 13, 2023 11:25 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Thu Apr 13, 2023 11:21 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Thu Apr 13, 2023 12:58 pm
There’s also such a thing as being overly thorough.
a.k.a. The Judge Browning Story.
I can still identify him as the author of an order in like the first 2 paragraphs.

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Re: Best and worst judges to clerk for

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Apr 14, 2023 2:04 pm

The Federal Circuit drama is insane, I can’t believe that Moore released a barely-redacted judicial competency complaint. Even if Newman is losing it, which patent practitioners seem to vehemently deny, you don’t publicly release a sealed report about the details of your colleague’s alleged dementia and medical problems!

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Re: Best and worst judges to clerk for

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Apr 16, 2023 5:26 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Sun Mar 19, 2023 12:51 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Thu Mar 16, 2023 7:18 pm
Menashi is a huge pain in the ass to other chambers, and a strange person in general, but treats his clerks well. He's easily the "Trumpiest" judge on CA2 though and prefers to hire clerks connected to the further reaches of the conservative legal movement.
Strange is an understatement. He's developed a reputation even among fedsoc types at the top schools for being awkward and unpleasant. And as a downstream consequence of that, he tends to get close-but-not-quite-stellar fedsoc clerks. Apparently several of his hires have either been socially off or have lots of reputational baggage that preclude them from clerking for top tier judges despite having the grades.

He'd probably be a contender for the Alito seat down the road if he weren't so personally repellant.
I would push back on this slightly. Admittedly, I'm biased as someone who knew Judge Menashi pre-COA, but I don't think Judge Menashi is "unpleasant." Awkward, perhaps--but I think this is basically attributable to the strange type of shyness that is found among outspoken introverts. He's the type of person who, if you have a more intellectual conversation with him, can absolutely light up and be funny and pleasant to talk to. But I get the sense that he's a private and very shy guy who finds a lot of joy in ideas and abstract thought, not so much in people. Certainly not a personality type for everyone--and I of course acknowledge that others may have different impressions--but I don't think he's a nasty or mean person interpersonally.

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Re: Best and worst judges to clerk for

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Apr 27, 2023 11:05 am

Anonymous User wrote:
Tue Nov 01, 2022 4:39 pm
has anyone heard anything about Judge Brinkema in EDVA?
Really well-respected judge. Great boss—and former clerks really love her and the EDVA experience / exposure to interesting cases and trials. Heavy workload, but not an outlier for a prestigious district court like EDVA. Lots of clerks coming from or going to Court of Appeals clerkships. Grade and law school sensitive.

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Re: Best and worst judges to clerk for

Post by Anonymous User » Sun May 07, 2023 6:45 pm

Does anyone have any word on what Nina Morrison's like as a judge? EDNY.

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Re: Best and worst judges to clerk for

Post by Anonymous User » Wed May 10, 2023 3:11 pm

anyone have any intel on EDVA Judge Hanes, EDVA Judge Ellis, or EDVA Judge Alston?

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

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Just kidding ... it's still FREE!


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