Houston lawyers are tough judges, especially when it comes to grading members of the judiciary.
Or at least they don’t think too highly of their colleagues on the bench.
The Houston Bar Association has released its bi-annual evaluation of state and federal trial and appellate judges. The best rated judge mustered a “B” grade. Dozens of civil court judges got straight “F’s.”
There’s great news for federal judges Nancy Atlas, Keith Ellison, Gray Miller and Sim Lake: Houston lawyers loved you, as 80% or more evaluated the jurist as excellent or very good.
U.S. District Chief Judge Lee Rosenthal got the highest score in the entire poll – 86.4% ranked her as excellent or very good.
By contrast, Houston lawyers are not as fond of U.S. District judges Lynn Hughes and Vanessa Gilmore. Only 41.3% of the 1,276 respondents said that Hughes does an excellent or very good job, while 38% said he needs improvement. Forty-three percent of the lawyers surveyed give Judge Gilmore an excellent or very good rating. Twenty-six percent say she needs improvement.
More than 80% of Houston lawyers said that U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Marvin Isgur is doing an excellent or very good job.
Houston lawyers don’t much like most members of the Texas Supreme Court either.
Justice Brett Busby, a former Houston appellate judge, received the top grades for SCOTX – 82% said he’s doing an excellent or very good job. Justice Eva Guzman ranked second, receiving 77% excellent and very good marks.
Justice Phil Devine got the lowest evaluation. Only 32% of Houston lawyers said he’s excellent or very good, while 42.3% believe he needs improvement.
Half of the Houston lawyers surveyed said they think Justice Jimmy Blacklock is doing an excellent or very good job, while 29% say improvement is needed.
Judge Tracy Christopher is by far the most respected member of the Houston Fourteenth Court of Appeals. About 85% of the lawyers believe she is excellent or very good.
Judges Gordon Goodman and Jerry Zimmerman received the lowest rankings for those on the Houston appellate courts.
The worst evaluations went to Houston Civil District Court judges Ursula Hall and Dedra Davis. More than 65% of Houston lawyers said that Judge Hall needs improvement, while only 17% said she is doing an excellent or very good job. Nearly 60% of those surveyed said that Judge Davis needs improvement – compared to 26% who stated that she is excellent or very good.
Three Houston District judges received top ratings.
About 83% of Houston attorneys said that Judge Daryl Moore, Judge Robert Schaeffer and Judge Lauren Reeder are doing excellent or very well.
To see the full Houston Bar Association evaluation, please visit https://www.hba.org/evaluationresults/.