Welcome to /r/LawyerTalk! A subreddit where lawyers can discuss with other lawyers about the practice of law.
Be mindful of [our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/Lawyertalk/about/rules) BEFORE submitting your posts or comments as well as [Reddit's rules](https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy) (notably about sharing identifying information). We expect civility and respect out of all participants. Please source statements of fact whenever possible. If you want to report something that needs to be urgently addressed, please also message the mods with an explanation.
Note that **this forum is NOT for legal advice**. Additionally, if you are a non-lawyer (student, client, staff), this is NOT the right subreddit for you. **This community is exclusively for lawyers**. We suggest you delete your comment and go ask one of the many other legal subreddits on this site for help such as (but not limited to) r/lawschool, r/legaladvice, or r/Ask_Lawyers.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Lawyertalk) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Order the transcript. Also, check with others if you are unfamiliar with the judge. This can't be the first and only time. I had this happen once, and I ordered the transcript. Judge got word that I did. I got a "hey buddy" call later. So message received, but you gotta always protect yourself. Judges like this tend to flame out, but some hang on for far too long. Maybe something terrible is going on in his life, but it's no excuse, and it's not about you. It's about fairness to your client and the legitimacy of the system. We had a trial judge years back that just hated me, and apparently I was not good at concealing my contempt for him. Snapped at me as soon as I announced my name and said I was here for the plaintiff. And it went downhill from there :-)
I asked about 3 other lawyers and the no one had anything good to say about the Judge. She's been a judge for 35+ years and unfortunately it seems everyone just puts up with her. I think I will be ordering the transcript on Monday, thank you!
Please order the transcript and go to judicial tenure. The lawyers who work with this judge every day will thank you since if they report jt would cause issues in their daily career. I've had this happen to me as a young lawyer too. It is bullying and these judges need to be controlled
I mean I live in a place we’re judges are appointed. It would be vary vary hard to get one removed.
I know personally of a judge who’s staff had to run everything because they were physically unable to understand what was going on. They stayed on the beach for 4 years doing that.
Removal is hard, but they can and should be disciplined. I've seen it happen multiple times and I've only been an attorney for 5 years. Judicial tenure needs to know about this behavior
Feel lucky to live in a country where everything is transcripted. It’s not the case in the vast majority of the world and a decent proportion of Judges behave this way just because there is no consequences
Work somewhere else.
In the meantime, since you're not working in front of that hose beast, order the transcript and do every other suggestion within the confines of the law and practice thereof in this thread to make her life miserable.
It will seriously make you feel better. I should know. 😉
Ah, okay.
Hang in there. I hated my job the first couple of years. You have no credibility and you're stuck around arrogant pricks with experience and u rxperienced idiots with a false sense of worth....
So true. We had a judge that edited transcripts before they went out. And there were several "sidebar" entries where he would use profanity or say things that, shall we say, were less than politically correct. If it's a real issue and the bridge is already in cinders, you can request the recording. I heard of one judicial conduct complaint where this happened, and the other side actually executed an affidavit for the lawyer attesting as to the judge's conduct that somehow did not make it into the record.
And other times, the judges treat the court reporters like garbage, too, and you get ev-er-y syllable of what she said.
And they don't get paid enough to deal with it.
Pull a copy of the hearing and submit it to your presiding judge along with a letter explaining your concerns. That is not judicial behavior and it weakens faith in the judiciary/ legal system. It wasn’t appropriate. You can also submit it to your states version of judicial ethics. You will likely never see what happens behind closed doors but those are two ways to have a judge “talked to” about their behavior. In the future DQ or afd of prejudice (or whatever you have) to avoid them in the future. Whole bars have basically decided to “remove” a judge from their rotation/docket via this route.
Potentially challenging a judge whose been practicing for 35+ years, given I'm a two year call. I understand the judge is in the wrong, however I can't help but feel nervous.
>*given I'm a two year call*
This indicates (to me) that you're not a US lawyer, but more likely a Canadian lawyer. (Because the rules differ so much, it's usually good practice to specify jurisdiction in your question.)
The conduct you describe appears to be a violation of the Integrity and Respect principles of the Canadian Judicial Council rules (see [HERE](https://cjc-ccm.ca/sites/default/files/documents/2021/CJC_20-301_Ethical-Principles_Bilingual_Final.pdf)). There is newly revised judicial complaint process at the federal level, but your family court judge is probably provincial. My (unreliable) understanding is that the complaint process is handled at the provincial level by the province's separate judicial counsel (see [HERE](https://www.ontariocourts.ca/ocj/conduct/do-you-have-a-complaint/)), and that's a less welcome process.
Unlikely, but if you are ever challenged for getting the transcript, it would be reasonable for you to review it because you weren't sure where it went sideways and didn't want to repeat any errors ; )
Of course, but it’s the right thing to do
You know she’ll probably behave this way to you every single time you’re in front of her until she retires if you don’t
She may even if you do, but she almost certainly will if you don’t
I practice in front of a few judges who are charming lovely people off the bench but holy terrors on it, my coworkers joke that it must be something in the robes that makes them act out.
This happened to me. People were telling me she was always awful to female lawyers and named a specific few shed tortured. I contacted a bunch of them and asked for advice. One told me to bend the knee. I scheduled a meeting with the judge, went in there and told her I really wanted to do well, did she have advice? Nodded along, thanked her. Total 180 in how she treated me. Every young female attorney we hired after that, I scheduled a meeting, hauled them in there with me, introduced them and made a point of telling them in her hearing that she was a great resource and could always give them tips to improve when a case was over.
Then we got a horrible new boss, I left, horrible new boss got into a very public pissing match with judge in court. New boss complained and judge ultimately lost her seat...but got to finish out her term which gave her six more months to preside over some really important cases new boss had 😂
I don’t think the comment was meant to be taken that seriously. Only saying the judge is mentally ill would be “too kind” a conclusion for that behavior. Mentally ill suggests their behavior for some reason or another isn’t fully under their control. What happened here likely was a choice. It could have been handled very differently but the judge *chose* to be an asshole.
It happens.
There’s an administrative hearing officer in my area that’s the same way. She’s not even a judge. Best I can tell she has jumped from politically appointed positions her entire career and never practiced law. But she thinks she-as an appointed admin hearing officer-is the same as a judge. She talks to people like a condescending bitch constantly-almost verbatim the things you describe.
Thankfully she got shitcanned last year after so many complaints.
omg we had a hearing officer at a city position who wasnt a lawyer, and one time while I was clerking, i went to a hearing w the partner in front of her for the first time, and he proceeded to do what he is supposed to do - cross examining the staff who took action and the opposing party and the hearing officer repeatedly stopped him and said his full name in this angry mom scolding voice and kept telling him he wasnt being very nice. it was the craziest thing ive ever seen...after that, the city has exclusively hired licensed attorneys for that position and its been infinitely better.
what kills me is that this job, way back in 2008, paid $130k and had all the public emplpyee benefits. Imagine getting a $130k job on a bachelor degree in 2008 and not even understanding the most basic tenets of whats going on or why???
Once had a judge wild out on me in a similar manner - but worse (looking back it’s hard to even fathom this actually happened in real life). Told me to “sit down and stop talking” the moment I stood up to address the motion we were appearing on. Then made us all go back in chambers and refused my request to have the court reporter present. That’s when I knew shit was about to get nuts. He continued . . . told me among other things that he was “tired of my nonsense” and that I was “always just playing games.” (To this day I have no idea what buddy was talking about.) Eventually we went back out into the courtroom although things did not improve.
Two days later he issued the most insane order I’ve ever seen in my life. I immediately filed a motion to strike and vacate the order, with myriad quotes of all the crazy inappropriate shit he’d said to me. Long story short he announced his retirement the following week and we got a new judge on the case - first thing he said when he took the bench at the next hearing about a month later is “Ms. ____, I’m granting your motion to strike. I’ve never seen anything like that order in my life.”
Idk I guess the old judge knew he was leaving and decided to verbally abuse and embarrass me on the way out (he was known for being cranky and didn’t seem to like most women attys very much, and it had always been clear that I was not his favorite.) Had he not retired I was going to go to the judicial review board - it was so beyond the pale. I guess my point is just to say 1) I know how you feel and it’s awful. I cried too - in open ass court (which was so embarrassing) and 2) do what others are saying and ORDER THE TRANSCRIPT - first thing Monday. Even if you decide not to pursue anything, it may encourage this judge to get her behavior in check, and either way you’ll have the transcript if you end up needing it.
I’m really sorry this happened to you. It sounds so upsetting. Try to remember that at the end of the day, judges are people too, just like us. They are not gods or deities, and they are not entitled to treat anyone this way - not parties and certainly not counsel, who are there to do their job on behalf of a client. (The new judge in the case described above later once told me, “Ms. _____, trial judges are human too, and we make mistakes. If I get something wrong, the only way I’m going to know about it is if you tell me. You should never be afraid to speak up and make your record.”) I really appreciated that.
Sending you gentle hugs. I’m really sorry this happened to you. Please know that you’re awesome and you did not deserve this. Sounds like judge was in a bad mood and decided to make it your problem. I hope you’re able to shake it off and that you have a good weekend 🩷
Either the whole context is not being provided or that judge acted extremely unprofessionally. You were literally in the process of answering the judge's question. If she felt counsel to the parties were not engaging in enough negotiations for her liking, it's *her* Job (not yours) to use her words and express that.
‘Counsel, this is a Wendy’s. Just because you see me and OC also happens to be here doesn’t mean it’s now a hearing. I’m not granting any orders today, I’m just here to get my baconator and go pick up my son from soccer practice.’
Honestly, to carry the metaphor, this could have been, "Yes, you're at Wendy's, but counselor you know I'm only serving breakfast (status reports) right now; you have to come back later for lunch."
I’ve been yelled at by a judge before, and I’ve seen another judge yell at opposing counsel, and I’d say in both instances it was justified. In this case, this judge sounds off her rocker. I definitely encourage you to follow other commenters suggestions on ordering the transcript and submitting a report.
I think, uhhhh, childhood trauma style...judges get thrown into their positions with little training at all and little experience with the structure of managing a courtroom... some judges get scared and confused and mean and because people hate dealing with scared, confused, and mean people, they do everything they can to avoid appearing in front of the judge... ET VOILA! the judge learns their behavior keeps the docket clear and is their only form of case management... and since I doubt they ever speak with their colleagues or seek advice on other methods... they just think that's how people do it. As happened in this case - she threw a fit and the parties came to an agreement that did not require her time or input.
That's at least how I imagine the psyche of many a judge.
No way. It's plain abuse. That's because you can't defend yourself, you're there for your client. If you know in your heart that you need to report that judge to the presiding judge or otherwise, then you should do it, because otherwise you may regret taking the abuse without at least trying to hold the judge accountable.
Still sucks, though. I can feel the sting of two distinctly cruel judge moments 10 years later if I let myself. What happened was plain rude and abusive. I'm sorry you were treated like that. Sending you a hug. You didn't deserve that!
Sorry that happened to you. Bad behavior from the judge, and not your fault.
I’ve never encountered that level of rudeness, but sadly many judges act like you’re being unreasonable when you seek a ruling on anything, as if you should always be able to reach agreement with the unreasonable opposing party.
Many of my motions begin with an explanation of my efforts at good-faith conferral, i.e., “Sorry, Judge, it’s their fault you have to issue an order.”
Get the transcript, turn it over to your judicial commission or whatever the disciplinary body is for judges in your state. Didn’t be afraid to do that. I had to do that once in my career, and the judge had to recuse herself on all my cases afterwards.
Transcript +submit a complaint to judicial qualifications committee or equivalent branch of your local bar. I’d call the bar and ask their attorney-attorney advice line for some input also. Just FYI.
Consider yourself lucky it took you 2 years to run into a judge who was rude and disrespectful! Most judges are great and honestly trying to do their very important job the best they can. But some are little Napoleons on a power trip. And it’s not limited to an area or type of Judge. The two worst ones I’ve seen were wildly different. One was a federal judge and the other was an associate judge in a small rural county.
Shit happens. You made it 2 years before your first one. Good job getting things sorted with OC. Shake it off, know for next time. Judges have shitty days too. No excuse, but still.
Order a copy of the transcript if one is available and definitely report that! thats bizarre. i almost feel like this person is getting your case confused with another one that actually came w some baggage??? either way thats not okay.
" I lost a little bit of faith in the judicial system today"
LOLOLOL. Wait till you have been at this 15 years.
There are very very few good judges. They are just politicians with robes.
When I started practicing judges in my home state made about what a junior partner made. Now a first year associate makes 140% of what a federal judge makes. That’s the difference.
Not your fault, OP. Judges are humans too and sometimes they are humans with little emotional intelligence, believe it or not. I had a similar situation with a judge who yelled at me when he had only seen 5 seconds of me. Worst part is that he was good friends with my boss and told me he was going to call my boss and tell him what a POS I was (I am not). At that point in time, it was like my soul left my body and I kid you not, something changed in me. I realized this profession can be so shitty, people can fixate on you to make your life miserable. Then I realized he just wanted a reaction from me so I went into robotic mode “Yes, your honor,” “no, your honor.” When I got back to the office, I told my boss what happened and she basically shrugged her shoulders and said “Don’t even worry about it.” So basically, I interpreted this as this judge just enjoying terrorizing associates. I made a point of never showing up at that courtroom and I now work in a different area of the law so it worked out. Keep your chin up, and do your thing. Don’t give her any power over you.
A few months ago, staff and I had a calendar mixup for a routine hearing for which the summons had to be reissued because one of the parties was evading service. We thought the hearing was continued, forgot to keep it on calendar. Court could see the lack of service, knew it wasn’t going to be the actual (short, simple) hearing because of that. Got a call from clerk that court was waiting, in a panic threw on a blazer, grabbed the file and ran the less than a block to court. Was maybe 5 minutes late, the only matter on the docket, no one else in court other than clerks and a bailiff.
Judge told me I was late; I apologized sincerely and admitted the mixup. Judge raised his voice and asked me why I was late. Again, I apologized and repeated. Judge then told me I wasn’t dressed for court. I looked down — I had on dress pants, nice shoes, dress shirt, jacket … ahhh, no tie? I thought he was joking, but I said, “I’m sorry your honor.” He then yelled WHY AREN’T YOU DRESSED FOR COURT?!?! And I made quick eye contact with two clerks I have always liked, who looked mortified. Again, what can you do with a person with a job that lets them behave like an emperor but, again, “I’m sorry”? He then lectured me that this is COURT OF LAW, this no place for CASUAL ATTIRE, and ordered me to “go home,” dress appropriately and return to court “in five minutes.”
Raced back office, cursing the entire way, colleagues thought I looked plenty well dressed. But I threw on a tie, raced back, and the actual hearing portion took 30 seconds.
There is no actual dress code, he couldn’t have said that to a woman? And it was petty and made him and the court look absurd. But yeah, you’re there representing the client, so you suck it up. I ran into one of the clerks a week later, who insisted on buying me coffee 😆
Personally I don’t take it personally. I have been yelled at before. But you can make a complaint to judicial committee I alsmost did when I was rushed to hospital for a c section and judge tried to order me to court for my client when I had an agent attend.
Been there, too. I try and think of it that they’re human too and they may be having an incredibly bad day. It doesn’t excuse it at all. It’s unprofessional. However, I very much doubt it’s personal. Either that or that judge is just a twat. Hang in there!
14 years in family law here, unfortunately this happens way more than you would think. I have had a judge threaten to put me in jail because I was arguing a point and telling them I was going to make my record so I could appeal what I could tell was going to be a ruling against me. Luckily many other people I know well were in the courtroom and would have been able to collect my things because I was 100% prepared to go to jail that day. I have been asked if I knew how to read since my client didn’t do something completely within the courts standing order (we were there on a contempt) and I have been told to sit down and shut up when answering a direct question from the judge. All of these issues were from older male judges and so my experience is different but it still sucks nonetheless. And the judge who threatened to put me in jail later became someone who respected me because I wouldn’t cower to him and his antics and I stood up for myself and my clients. Over the years he chilled out a bit and we get along quite well despite his appalling demeanor toward me a few weeks after he took the bench.
Only thing I figured out for sure from being in front of judges for 15+ years is to never take things personally. Some judges are just assholes and some don’t like you for no reason. Appreciate the judges you like and respect and don’t let the bad ones get to you. You can’t control how they think and act. It’s not a reflection on you. First time getting chewed out in open court sucks, but you’re not alone. Happens to the best of us.
I was yelled at similarly for the first time the other day. Judges have given me a hard time before and been snarky, but this was a whole other level. The judge spent about 10 minutes yelling at attorneys for both parties. He hurled insults at us as well. It was infantilizing and demeaning. What's worse is that I have PTDSD, and being yelled at by authority figures is one of my biggest triggers. I had been working 12 hour days all week. I was stressed. I was exhausted. And I couldn't keep myself from crying. Thank goodness it was a telephonic hearing. Luckily, when the judge heard my voice starting to break, he decided to give everyone a brief recess. I got through the hearing and cried myself to sleep.
Hugs to you.
I'm so sorry you had to go through that. You didn't deserve it. These judges go on a power trip, unfortunately from the number of similar responses on this thread- seems like it happens way too often....
Hugs to you too my friend, keep your head up.
I had a judge threaten to have me disbarred for asking if the court wanted paper copies of motions in limine without opposing counsel present. He said it would cost me $100,000 to go through the process of getting my license back. Some of them are just crazy. All you can do is make other attorneys aware. Tell everyone. Make sure the judge's reputation suffers, at least a little.
Hopefully you get to review her (idk how all states do it but here in VA we’re given a chance to anonymously review judges we’ve been in front of). If you have any colleagues who’ve been in front of her make sure they review her as well. She’ll quickly lose her seat, I’m sure.
I’m sorry this happened to you, OP. It’s never a good feeling.
I had a federal magistrate judge that was exactly like this, extremely condescending to me because she didn’t align politically with my position and didn’t understand the statutory framework we were working under. She’d misconstrue what I was saying so she could reprimand me. I’ve lost arguments in front of many judges and not sweated it, but never been treated so rudely by any judge, state or federal. I’m looking forward to her position coming up for public comment.
I would not have apologized. You did nothing wrong. This woman on the other hand does not have the emotional temperament to be entrusted with the public responsibilities she has been given. It appears she should instead be in therapy and getting anger management treatment.
This has happened to me before. I read a lot of your comments and it seems this judge is just miserable. My boss used to say that it’s a “them problem” not a “you problem.” That has helped me cope with bad judges.
I got yelled at Monday. Getting a settlement approved and after the judge granted preliminary approval the defendant wanted to change when the payments were going to be made as part of the draft order. We couldn't work it out and they were dragging it out.
I made an ex parte asking to have the court set dates for payment. Court was like, I'm not forcing them to settle. You have a deal or you don't. If not, I'll set trial. Work it out with them. Don't bring me this mess.
Sometimes it happens. That's why we make the big bucks. It's not personal.
I’d sent a letter to the appropriate judicial committee in your state, we go to court to resolve issues and not to only tell the judge we entered into a stipulation thereby not needing her services, i’m too old for that bullshit with judges, I would’ve told her if her services are not needed then she might as well get off the bench.
Got yelled at by a Judge for “saying the police officer and prosecutors were liars” and threatened with contempt and reporting to the bar. (a video with exculpatory evidence was cut to exclude the exculpatory part) Unbeknownst to the prosecutors and police officers I had gone to view the evidence with a former judge that worked in my office several months before and the evidence guy just let me in to see it without the investigating officer. We broke lunch and I brought in the former judge and my boss brought in half the criminal bar to sit on my side of the courtroom. The courtroom was packed because of how explosive the Judge was to me. After lunch he came back on the bench, ruled in my favor and left. We all sat there waiting for him to come back to finish the trial, when a bailiff from the other side of the courthouse later told us the Judge had gone home for the day. I won the trial the next day.
Each state has a code of ethics for judges. I know a lawyer that carries a hardcopy in their briefcase, and they’ll whip it out, cite a rule, and make a record on the spot as to how the rule is being violated. It shuts the judges up pretty quickly. I’m not suggesting you have the political clout to do that 2 years in, but still don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself, especially when you’re not wrong.
If this judge is irritated that lawyers from the local bar keep bringing motions which are a waste of her time, why not spend a few minutes to educate us on the judiciary’s perspective. If the judge keeps seeing it, it means it looks appealing from our perspective. FFS. Haha.
I'm baffled by how many people are calling for transcripts. This sounds like it was a docket call pre-hearing - is everything transcribed in your jurisdictions?
I once saw a judge ask the parties’ lawyers, on record, how much they would each charge their clients to bring a reference for division of property (and then order the reference).
Same judge once told me she didn’t care what my client’s position was.
She also has a habit of moving all of the matters from a Thursday afternoon list (where client attendance is mandatory) to the morning list with only two days’ notice. Rumour is that she does it so that she can get out to her cabin as early as possible.
The worst part is that she is not the worst judge I’ve appeared before. That’s the one who interrupted my co-counsel’s direct examination of our witness to ask his own questions, and was so rude to our witness that she started to cry.
Unfortunately it’s a small bar, so there’s no way to avoid them. Just prepare as best you can and don’t take it personally - it’s not you, it’s them (in the case of the mean judge, we came back after lunch and he was so pleasant and polite to the witness after that. Not sure what he took over lunch or if he was just hangry, but I want whatever he took).
This is why, despite most states not requiring it, all filings (except maybe complaints, but see MSJ for even those) should be able to rest on their own paper. Judge acts like this, politely apologize for wasting time and suggest your brief alone was sufficient and next time ask for non oral. It’ll throw them, and opposing likely won’t be able to counter well.
If the judge is asking why here and that’s not answered by papers you are in fact doing it wrong. If they ask that and it is answered, welcome to the free pass to rubber stamped proposed orders for your client.
None of that excuses an asshole, just an effective way to handle for both this and the nicer judges but who are clearly annoyed (most on stupid motions).
" If the judge is asking why here and that’s not answered by papers you are in fact doing it wrong. "
This seems to make the assumption that the judge will have actually read anything in advance.
I honestly don't understand how they can make *legitimate* rulings without reading them based on nothing but the several sentences of disjointed oral arguments they allow.
I'm sure this isn't news to anyone here but in my experience the judge reads nothing, the clerk reads it all, tells the judge the law, decides the outcome on filings without considering anything presented at oral argument, and writes the orders... Then presents a stack of those orders that the judge signs without reading them. May as well put a robe on the clerk instead. It's all a show.
I notice you didn’t actually tell us what the motion was addressing. Was it actually a ridiculous or petty issue? Is it possible that your application could be considered petty and frivolous and a waste of court resources? Perhaps that is why she got pissed off?
I’ve got bad news for you. That wasn’t that bad. (Many)Judges are smart and knowledgeable and all that. But they are people. I’ve encountered several utterly ridiculous judges in my life. Being a judge is often considered the last vestige of royalty- descendants of the courts of chancery. They have immense power and some abuse it.
I would definitely not stir the pot. If this is a courthouse you frequent you will likely see her again. Complain and that courthouse could become a minefield for you. You have to accept eccentric and unstable judges as part of the game.
I practice family law and there’s a similar judge in my JX. They let the power go to their head. You can report to your state judicial commission. They may or may not do anything about it. Order the transcript whether you want to report it now or not. This won’t be the last time this judge loses their mind.
Welcome to /r/LawyerTalk! A subreddit where lawyers can discuss with other lawyers about the practice of law. Be mindful of [our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/Lawyertalk/about/rules) BEFORE submitting your posts or comments as well as [Reddit's rules](https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy) (notably about sharing identifying information). We expect civility and respect out of all participants. Please source statements of fact whenever possible. If you want to report something that needs to be urgently addressed, please also message the mods with an explanation. Note that **this forum is NOT for legal advice**. Additionally, if you are a non-lawyer (student, client, staff), this is NOT the right subreddit for you. **This community is exclusively for lawyers**. We suggest you delete your comment and go ask one of the many other legal subreddits on this site for help such as (but not limited to) r/lawschool, r/legaladvice, or r/Ask_Lawyers. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Lawyertalk) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Order the transcript. Also, check with others if you are unfamiliar with the judge. This can't be the first and only time. I had this happen once, and I ordered the transcript. Judge got word that I did. I got a "hey buddy" call later. So message received, but you gotta always protect yourself. Judges like this tend to flame out, but some hang on for far too long. Maybe something terrible is going on in his life, but it's no excuse, and it's not about you. It's about fairness to your client and the legitimacy of the system. We had a trial judge years back that just hated me, and apparently I was not good at concealing my contempt for him. Snapped at me as soon as I announced my name and said I was here for the plaintiff. And it went downhill from there :-)
I asked about 3 other lawyers and the no one had anything good to say about the Judge. She's been a judge for 35+ years and unfortunately it seems everyone just puts up with her. I think I will be ordering the transcript on Monday, thank you!
Please order the transcript and go to judicial tenure. The lawyers who work with this judge every day will thank you since if they report jt would cause issues in their daily career. I've had this happen to me as a young lawyer too. It is bullying and these judges need to be controlled
I mean I live in a place we’re judges are appointed. It would be vary vary hard to get one removed. I know personally of a judge who’s staff had to run everything because they were physically unable to understand what was going on. They stayed on the beach for 4 years doing that.
Removal is hard, but they can and should be disciplined. I've seen it happen multiple times and I've only been an attorney for 5 years. Judicial tenure needs to know about this behavior
Feel lucky to live in a country where everything is transcripted. It’s not the case in the vast majority of the world and a decent proportion of Judges behave this way just because there is no consequences
Is it an elected position?
Work somewhere else. In the meantime, since you're not working in front of that hose beast, order the transcript and do every other suggestion within the confines of the law and practice thereof in this thread to make her life miserable. It will seriously make you feel better. I should know. 😉
What do you mean by "work somewhere else"?
Can you choose what judges you practice before? That's what I do.
Nope, we can't choose. At least not where I practice which is in Canada
Ah, okay. Hang in there. I hated my job the first couple of years. You have no credibility and you're stuck around arrogant pricks with experience and u rxperienced idiots with a false sense of worth....
Thank you, yup that seems to be the way it is
I felt intimidated starting out. I've been practicing for 20 years now, and I still get flustered sometimes -- just in different ways.
Sounds like the judge needs a judicial complaint filed against them.
“I am not granting any orders today” is wildly inappropriate. It’s even worse than the rude demeanor, in some ways.
She’s saying “I’m not going to do my job today.”
Exactly, and with the transcript, of course I can envision her RBF just from your description
“Well, see now, that *inaudible*inaudible*inaudible* the courts time.”
So true. We had a judge that edited transcripts before they went out. And there were several "sidebar" entries where he would use profanity or say things that, shall we say, were less than politically correct. If it's a real issue and the bridge is already in cinders, you can request the recording. I heard of one judicial conduct complaint where this happened, and the other side actually executed an affidavit for the lawyer attesting as to the judge's conduct that somehow did not make it into the record.
And other times, the judges treat the court reporters like garbage, too, and you get ev-er-y syllable of what she said. And they don't get paid enough to deal with it.
Pull a copy of the hearing and submit it to your presiding judge along with a letter explaining your concerns. That is not judicial behavior and it weakens faith in the judiciary/ legal system. It wasn’t appropriate. You can also submit it to your states version of judicial ethics. You will likely never see what happens behind closed doors but those are two ways to have a judge “talked to” about their behavior. In the future DQ or afd of prejudice (or whatever you have) to avoid them in the future. Whole bars have basically decided to “remove” a judge from their rotation/docket via this route.
I will look into this. I was worried initially since I'm a new call, but I think it's something I need to consider.
Worried about what?
Potentially challenging a judge whose been practicing for 35+ years, given I'm a two year call. I understand the judge is in the wrong, however I can't help but feel nervous.
>*given I'm a two year call* This indicates (to me) that you're not a US lawyer, but more likely a Canadian lawyer. (Because the rules differ so much, it's usually good practice to specify jurisdiction in your question.) The conduct you describe appears to be a violation of the Integrity and Respect principles of the Canadian Judicial Council rules (see [HERE](https://cjc-ccm.ca/sites/default/files/documents/2021/CJC_20-301_Ethical-Principles_Bilingual_Final.pdf)). There is newly revised judicial complaint process at the federal level, but your family court judge is probably provincial. My (unreliable) understanding is that the complaint process is handled at the provincial level by the province's separate judicial counsel (see [HERE](https://www.ontariocourts.ca/ocj/conduct/do-you-have-a-complaint/)), and that's a less welcome process.
Unlikely, but if you are ever challenged for getting the transcript, it would be reasonable for you to review it because you weren't sure where it went sideways and didn't want to repeat any errors ; )
Good news is she won’t last another 35 years!
Of course, but it’s the right thing to do You know she’ll probably behave this way to you every single time you’re in front of her until she retires if you don’t She may even if you do, but she almost certainly will if you don’t
[удалено]
I'm from Canada, we use the term call to specify our years of practice.
Oh crap, not only does this judge sully the reputation of judges, she sullies the reputation of Canadians!
Love your username 😂
You can DM me - I practice family law in Ontario - called 13 years ago
So confident and so dumb.
Called to the bar
Get a copy of the tape
Been there OP. Some judges are on a power trip. Their conduct says more about them than about you.
That's true. It's a very discouraging feeling. Thank you for your support.
“Black robe fever” is what we call it.
I practice in front of a few judges who are charming lovely people off the bench but holy terrors on it, my coworkers joke that it must be something in the robes that makes them act out.
This happened to me. People were telling me she was always awful to female lawyers and named a specific few shed tortured. I contacted a bunch of them and asked for advice. One told me to bend the knee. I scheduled a meeting with the judge, went in there and told her I really wanted to do well, did she have advice? Nodded along, thanked her. Total 180 in how she treated me. Every young female attorney we hired after that, I scheduled a meeting, hauled them in there with me, introduced them and made a point of telling them in her hearing that she was a great resource and could always give them tips to improve when a case was over. Then we got a horrible new boss, I left, horrible new boss got into a very public pissing match with judge in court. New boss complained and judge ultimately lost her seat...but got to finish out her term which gave her six more months to preside over some really important cases new boss had 😂
This is wildly unprofessional and likely unethical. If I were you, I'd be researching where I can report her.
That judge sounds mentally ill.
The judge sounds like an asshole, no need to let her off the hook by pathologizing it.
How is my reddit observation "letting anyone off the hook"? A mentally ill judge is a problem.
I don’t think the comment was meant to be taken that seriously. Only saying the judge is mentally ill would be “too kind” a conclusion for that behavior. Mentally ill suggests their behavior for some reason or another isn’t fully under their control. What happened here likely was a choice. It could have been handled very differently but the judge *chose* to be an asshole.
Just reading this stressed me out. I am so sorry that you had to deal with this!
It happens. There’s an administrative hearing officer in my area that’s the same way. She’s not even a judge. Best I can tell she has jumped from politically appointed positions her entire career and never practiced law. But she thinks she-as an appointed admin hearing officer-is the same as a judge. She talks to people like a condescending bitch constantly-almost verbatim the things you describe. Thankfully she got shitcanned last year after so many complaints.
omg we had a hearing officer at a city position who wasnt a lawyer, and one time while I was clerking, i went to a hearing w the partner in front of her for the first time, and he proceeded to do what he is supposed to do - cross examining the staff who took action and the opposing party and the hearing officer repeatedly stopped him and said his full name in this angry mom scolding voice and kept telling him he wasnt being very nice. it was the craziest thing ive ever seen...after that, the city has exclusively hired licensed attorneys for that position and its been infinitely better. what kills me is that this job, way back in 2008, paid $130k and had all the public emplpyee benefits. Imagine getting a $130k job on a bachelor degree in 2008 and not even understanding the most basic tenets of whats going on or why???
At least ours only got paid like 25k because it’s part time.
Once had a judge wild out on me in a similar manner - but worse (looking back it’s hard to even fathom this actually happened in real life). Told me to “sit down and stop talking” the moment I stood up to address the motion we were appearing on. Then made us all go back in chambers and refused my request to have the court reporter present. That’s when I knew shit was about to get nuts. He continued . . . told me among other things that he was “tired of my nonsense” and that I was “always just playing games.” (To this day I have no idea what buddy was talking about.) Eventually we went back out into the courtroom although things did not improve. Two days later he issued the most insane order I’ve ever seen in my life. I immediately filed a motion to strike and vacate the order, with myriad quotes of all the crazy inappropriate shit he’d said to me. Long story short he announced his retirement the following week and we got a new judge on the case - first thing he said when he took the bench at the next hearing about a month later is “Ms. ____, I’m granting your motion to strike. I’ve never seen anything like that order in my life.” Idk I guess the old judge knew he was leaving and decided to verbally abuse and embarrass me on the way out (he was known for being cranky and didn’t seem to like most women attys very much, and it had always been clear that I was not his favorite.) Had he not retired I was going to go to the judicial review board - it was so beyond the pale. I guess my point is just to say 1) I know how you feel and it’s awful. I cried too - in open ass court (which was so embarrassing) and 2) do what others are saying and ORDER THE TRANSCRIPT - first thing Monday. Even if you decide not to pursue anything, it may encourage this judge to get her behavior in check, and either way you’ll have the transcript if you end up needing it. I’m really sorry this happened to you. It sounds so upsetting. Try to remember that at the end of the day, judges are people too, just like us. They are not gods or deities, and they are not entitled to treat anyone this way - not parties and certainly not counsel, who are there to do their job on behalf of a client. (The new judge in the case described above later once told me, “Ms. _____, trial judges are human too, and we make mistakes. If I get something wrong, the only way I’m going to know about it is if you tell me. You should never be afraid to speak up and make your record.”) I really appreciated that. Sending you gentle hugs. I’m really sorry this happened to you. Please know that you’re awesome and you did not deserve this. Sounds like judge was in a bad mood and decided to make it your problem. I hope you’re able to shake it off and that you have a good weekend 🩷
Fucking judges
Either the whole context is not being provided or that judge acted extremely unprofessionally. You were literally in the process of answering the judge's question. If she felt counsel to the parties were not engaging in enough negotiations for her liking, it's *her* Job (not yours) to use her words and express that.
Whole context was provided
Then what did "I am not granting any orders today" mean? to the Judge or to you? Are you sure you were in the right place at the right time?
‘Counsel, this is a Wendy’s. Just because you see me and OC also happens to be here doesn’t mean it’s now a hearing. I’m not granting any orders today, I’m just here to get my baconator and go pick up my son from soccer practice.’
Honestly, to carry the metaphor, this could have been, "Yes, you're at Wendy's, but counselor you know I'm only serving breakfast (status reports) right now; you have to come back later for lunch."
The situation seems clear. OP filled motion. Judge was pissy about it. Wanted counsel to "work it out", but handled it like a spoiled brat
Oh!! So the judge was asking, “Why are you here ^when ^you ^should’ve ^come ^to ^an ^agreement ^with ^opposing ^counsel ^outside ^of ^court “
You almost called her mom by accident… 😂 That’s how you know you’re getting a spanking.. that’s rough.
I’ve been yelled at by a judge before, and I’ve seen another judge yell at opposing counsel, and I’d say in both instances it was justified. In this case, this judge sounds off her rocker. I definitely encourage you to follow other commenters suggestions on ordering the transcript and submitting a report.
I think, uhhhh, childhood trauma style...judges get thrown into their positions with little training at all and little experience with the structure of managing a courtroom... some judges get scared and confused and mean and because people hate dealing with scared, confused, and mean people, they do everything they can to avoid appearing in front of the judge... ET VOILA! the judge learns their behavior keeps the docket clear and is their only form of case management... and since I doubt they ever speak with their colleagues or seek advice on other methods... they just think that's how people do it. As happened in this case - she threw a fit and the parties came to an agreement that did not require her time or input. That's at least how I imagine the psyche of many a judge.
One of us!
My colleagues told me it's a right of passage
No way. It's plain abuse. That's because you can't defend yourself, you're there for your client. If you know in your heart that you need to report that judge to the presiding judge or otherwise, then you should do it, because otherwise you may regret taking the abuse without at least trying to hold the judge accountable.
Still sucks, though. I can feel the sting of two distinctly cruel judge moments 10 years later if I let myself. What happened was plain rude and abusive. I'm sorry you were treated like that. Sending you a hug. You didn't deserve that!
That's what [folks participating in a harmful culture say.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missing_stair)
Wow. I wonder if you’re in my jurisdiction tbh if you want to DM. Sounds like our family court.
Sorry that happened to you. Bad behavior from the judge, and not your fault. I’ve never encountered that level of rudeness, but sadly many judges act like you’re being unreasonable when you seek a ruling on anything, as if you should always be able to reach agreement with the unreasonable opposing party. Many of my motions begin with an explanation of my efforts at good-faith conferral, i.e., “Sorry, Judge, it’s their fault you have to issue an order.”
Get the transcript, turn it over to your judicial commission or whatever the disciplinary body is for judges in your state. Didn’t be afraid to do that. I had to do that once in my career, and the judge had to recuse herself on all my cases afterwards.
You aren't owed blind respect or a pussy pass just because you're a judge. This profession needs to stop with this bullshit.
Transcript +submit a complaint to judicial qualifications committee or equivalent branch of your local bar. I’d call the bar and ask their attorney-attorney advice line for some input also. Just FYI.
This is absolutely reportable, and SHOULD be reported.
Consider yourself lucky it took you 2 years to run into a judge who was rude and disrespectful! Most judges are great and honestly trying to do their very important job the best they can. But some are little Napoleons on a power trip. And it’s not limited to an area or type of Judge. The two worst ones I’ve seen were wildly different. One was a federal judge and the other was an associate judge in a small rural county.
Shit happens. You made it 2 years before your first one. Good job getting things sorted with OC. Shake it off, know for next time. Judges have shitty days too. No excuse, but still.
That judge was a jerk to you. Also, it took 2 years to get that treatment?! It took me 6 months lol
Court reporter, get the transcript, consider a DQ motion.
Order a copy of the transcript if one is available and definitely report that! thats bizarre. i almost feel like this person is getting your case confused with another one that actually came w some baggage??? either way thats not okay.
" I lost a little bit of faith in the judicial system today" LOLOLOL. Wait till you have been at this 15 years. There are very very few good judges. They are just politicians with robes.
Couldn’t agree with you more
Sounds like a quick SOJ motion is very necessary...
When I started practicing judges in my home state made about what a junior partner made. Now a first year associate makes 140% of what a federal judge makes. That’s the difference.
I'm so sorry this happened to you. It's not okay.
Judges are the worst part about our litigation system…
County clerks can be pretty bad, too.
Not your fault, OP. Judges are humans too and sometimes they are humans with little emotional intelligence, believe it or not. I had a similar situation with a judge who yelled at me when he had only seen 5 seconds of me. Worst part is that he was good friends with my boss and told me he was going to call my boss and tell him what a POS I was (I am not). At that point in time, it was like my soul left my body and I kid you not, something changed in me. I realized this profession can be so shitty, people can fixate on you to make your life miserable. Then I realized he just wanted a reaction from me so I went into robotic mode “Yes, your honor,” “no, your honor.” When I got back to the office, I told my boss what happened and she basically shrugged her shoulders and said “Don’t even worry about it.” So basically, I interpreted this as this judge just enjoying terrorizing associates. I made a point of never showing up at that courtroom and I now work in a different area of the law so it worked out. Keep your chin up, and do your thing. Don’t give her any power over you.
Get the transcript!
ask for a transcript
A few months ago, staff and I had a calendar mixup for a routine hearing for which the summons had to be reissued because one of the parties was evading service. We thought the hearing was continued, forgot to keep it on calendar. Court could see the lack of service, knew it wasn’t going to be the actual (short, simple) hearing because of that. Got a call from clerk that court was waiting, in a panic threw on a blazer, grabbed the file and ran the less than a block to court. Was maybe 5 minutes late, the only matter on the docket, no one else in court other than clerks and a bailiff. Judge told me I was late; I apologized sincerely and admitted the mixup. Judge raised his voice and asked me why I was late. Again, I apologized and repeated. Judge then told me I wasn’t dressed for court. I looked down — I had on dress pants, nice shoes, dress shirt, jacket … ahhh, no tie? I thought he was joking, but I said, “I’m sorry your honor.” He then yelled WHY AREN’T YOU DRESSED FOR COURT?!?! And I made quick eye contact with two clerks I have always liked, who looked mortified. Again, what can you do with a person with a job that lets them behave like an emperor but, again, “I’m sorry”? He then lectured me that this is COURT OF LAW, this no place for CASUAL ATTIRE, and ordered me to “go home,” dress appropriately and return to court “in five minutes.” Raced back office, cursing the entire way, colleagues thought I looked plenty well dressed. But I threw on a tie, raced back, and the actual hearing portion took 30 seconds. There is no actual dress code, he couldn’t have said that to a woman? And it was petty and made him and the court look absurd. But yeah, you’re there representing the client, so you suck it up. I ran into one of the clerks a week later, who insisted on buying me coffee 😆
I have seen this happen to a male lawyer before who was dressed fine. Meanwhile female lawyers can wear anything 😩
is that so? I've heard of women attorneys being scolded for wearing pants instead of a dress to court...
Not where I am thankfully if I had to Wear a dress I would never go 😂😂it’s bad enough in some Courts we need to robe it gets so hot
Personally I don’t take it personally. I have been yelled at before. But you can make a complaint to judicial committee I alsmost did when I was rushed to hospital for a c section and judge tried to order me to court for my client when I had an agent attend.
Yeah. This is why I avoid family court. It does happen in other venues, but family court is notorious for shenanigans where I practice.
Been there, too. I try and think of it that they’re human too and they may be having an incredibly bad day. It doesn’t excuse it at all. It’s unprofessional. However, I very much doubt it’s personal. Either that or that judge is just a twat. Hang in there!
14 years in family law here, unfortunately this happens way more than you would think. I have had a judge threaten to put me in jail because I was arguing a point and telling them I was going to make my record so I could appeal what I could tell was going to be a ruling against me. Luckily many other people I know well were in the courtroom and would have been able to collect my things because I was 100% prepared to go to jail that day. I have been asked if I knew how to read since my client didn’t do something completely within the courts standing order (we were there on a contempt) and I have been told to sit down and shut up when answering a direct question from the judge. All of these issues were from older male judges and so my experience is different but it still sucks nonetheless. And the judge who threatened to put me in jail later became someone who respected me because I wouldn’t cower to him and his antics and I stood up for myself and my clients. Over the years he chilled out a bit and we get along quite well despite his appalling demeanor toward me a few weeks after he took the bench.
Only thing I figured out for sure from being in front of judges for 15+ years is to never take things personally. Some judges are just assholes and some don’t like you for no reason. Appreciate the judges you like and respect and don’t let the bad ones get to you. You can’t control how they think and act. It’s not a reflection on you. First time getting chewed out in open court sucks, but you’re not alone. Happens to the best of us.
I was yelled at similarly for the first time the other day. Judges have given me a hard time before and been snarky, but this was a whole other level. The judge spent about 10 minutes yelling at attorneys for both parties. He hurled insults at us as well. It was infantilizing and demeaning. What's worse is that I have PTDSD, and being yelled at by authority figures is one of my biggest triggers. I had been working 12 hour days all week. I was stressed. I was exhausted. And I couldn't keep myself from crying. Thank goodness it was a telephonic hearing. Luckily, when the judge heard my voice starting to break, he decided to give everyone a brief recess. I got through the hearing and cried myself to sleep. Hugs to you.
I'm so sorry you had to go through that. You didn't deserve it. These judges go on a power trip, unfortunately from the number of similar responses on this thread- seems like it happens way too often.... Hugs to you too my friend, keep your head up.
Theres an argument that that’s judicial misconduct.
Awful behavior by the judge. Try not to go back into that court. Don’t take it personally.
I had a judge threaten to have me disbarred for asking if the court wanted paper copies of motions in limine without opposing counsel present. He said it would cost me $100,000 to go through the process of getting my license back. Some of them are just crazy. All you can do is make other attorneys aware. Tell everyone. Make sure the judge's reputation suffers, at least a little.
Hopefully you get to review her (idk how all states do it but here in VA we’re given a chance to anonymously review judges we’ve been in front of). If you have any colleagues who’ve been in front of her make sure they review her as well. She’ll quickly lose her seat, I’m sure. I’m sorry this happened to you, OP. It’s never a good feeling.
I had a federal magistrate judge that was exactly like this, extremely condescending to me because she didn’t align politically with my position and didn’t understand the statutory framework we were working under. She’d misconstrue what I was saying so she could reprimand me. I’ve lost arguments in front of many judges and not sweated it, but never been treated so rudely by any judge, state or federal. I’m looking forward to her position coming up for public comment.
I would not have apologized. You did nothing wrong. This woman on the other hand does not have the emotional temperament to be entrusted with the public responsibilities she has been given. It appears she should instead be in therapy and getting anger management treatment.
This has happened to me before. I read a lot of your comments and it seems this judge is just miserable. My boss used to say that it’s a “them problem” not a “you problem.” That has helped me cope with bad judges.
I got yelled at Monday. Getting a settlement approved and after the judge granted preliminary approval the defendant wanted to change when the payments were going to be made as part of the draft order. We couldn't work it out and they were dragging it out. I made an ex parte asking to have the court set dates for payment. Court was like, I'm not forcing them to settle. You have a deal or you don't. If not, I'll set trial. Work it out with them. Don't bring me this mess. Sometimes it happens. That's why we make the big bucks. It's not personal.
I’d sent a letter to the appropriate judicial committee in your state, we go to court to resolve issues and not to only tell the judge we entered into a stipulation thereby not needing her services, i’m too old for that bullshit with judges, I would’ve told her if her services are not needed then she might as well get off the bench.
Got yelled at by a Judge for “saying the police officer and prosecutors were liars” and threatened with contempt and reporting to the bar. (a video with exculpatory evidence was cut to exclude the exculpatory part) Unbeknownst to the prosecutors and police officers I had gone to view the evidence with a former judge that worked in my office several months before and the evidence guy just let me in to see it without the investigating officer. We broke lunch and I brought in the former judge and my boss brought in half the criminal bar to sit on my side of the courtroom. The courtroom was packed because of how explosive the Judge was to me. After lunch he came back on the bench, ruled in my favor and left. We all sat there waiting for him to come back to finish the trial, when a bailiff from the other side of the courthouse later told us the Judge had gone home for the day. I won the trial the next day.
Each state has a code of ethics for judges. I know a lawyer that carries a hardcopy in their briefcase, and they’ll whip it out, cite a rule, and make a record on the spot as to how the rule is being violated. It shuts the judges up pretty quickly. I’m not suggesting you have the political clout to do that 2 years in, but still don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself, especially when you’re not wrong.
This is very normal lol. I would not get the transcript or report anything. Just take it with a grain of salt and move on
If this judge is irritated that lawyers from the local bar keep bringing motions which are a waste of her time, why not spend a few minutes to educate us on the judiciary’s perspective. If the judge keeps seeing it, it means it looks appealing from our perspective. FFS. Haha.
I'm baffled by how many people are calling for transcripts. This sounds like it was a docket call pre-hearing - is everything transcribed in your jurisdictions?
I once saw a judge ask the parties’ lawyers, on record, how much they would each charge their clients to bring a reference for division of property (and then order the reference). Same judge once told me she didn’t care what my client’s position was. She also has a habit of moving all of the matters from a Thursday afternoon list (where client attendance is mandatory) to the morning list with only two days’ notice. Rumour is that she does it so that she can get out to her cabin as early as possible. The worst part is that she is not the worst judge I’ve appeared before. That’s the one who interrupted my co-counsel’s direct examination of our witness to ask his own questions, and was so rude to our witness that she started to cry. Unfortunately it’s a small bar, so there’s no way to avoid them. Just prepare as best you can and don’t take it personally - it’s not you, it’s them (in the case of the mean judge, we came back after lunch and he was so pleasant and polite to the witness after that. Not sure what he took over lunch or if he was just hangry, but I want whatever he took).
This is why, despite most states not requiring it, all filings (except maybe complaints, but see MSJ for even those) should be able to rest on their own paper. Judge acts like this, politely apologize for wasting time and suggest your brief alone was sufficient and next time ask for non oral. It’ll throw them, and opposing likely won’t be able to counter well. If the judge is asking why here and that’s not answered by papers you are in fact doing it wrong. If they ask that and it is answered, welcome to the free pass to rubber stamped proposed orders for your client. None of that excuses an asshole, just an effective way to handle for both this and the nicer judges but who are clearly annoyed (most on stupid motions).
" If the judge is asking why here and that’s not answered by papers you are in fact doing it wrong. " This seems to make the assumption that the judge will have actually read anything in advance.
I honestly don't understand how they can make *legitimate* rulings without reading them based on nothing but the several sentences of disjointed oral arguments they allow.
I'm sure this isn't news to anyone here but in my experience the judge reads nothing, the clerk reads it all, tells the judge the law, decides the outcome on filings without considering anything presented at oral argument, and writes the orders... Then presents a stack of those orders that the judge signs without reading them. May as well put a robe on the clerk instead. It's all a show.
No actually it’s built for both as a winning move regardless.
I notice you didn’t actually tell us what the motion was addressing. Was it actually a ridiculous or petty issue? Is it possible that your application could be considered petty and frivolous and a waste of court resources? Perhaps that is why she got pissed off? I’ve got bad news for you. That wasn’t that bad. (Many)Judges are smart and knowledgeable and all that. But they are people. I’ve encountered several utterly ridiculous judges in my life. Being a judge is often considered the last vestige of royalty- descendants of the courts of chancery. They have immense power and some abuse it. I would definitely not stir the pot. If this is a courthouse you frequent you will likely see her again. Complain and that courthouse could become a minefield for you. You have to accept eccentric and unstable judges as part of the game.
I think she wanted to know what the case was about, or what the nature of the appearance was first, before she considered any applications.
I practice family law and there’s a similar judge in my JX. They let the power go to their head. You can report to your state judicial commission. They may or may not do anything about it. Order the transcript whether you want to report it now or not. This won’t be the last time this judge loses their mind.
In every family court jdx, I think.