The Robing Room

Add your own rating

E-Mail Address ()

Confirm E-mail Address

Zip

Occupation

Add a comment only

Ratings

*Temperament:	(1=Awful,10=Excellent)
*Scholarship:	(1=Awful,10=Excellent)
*Industriousness:	(1=Not at all industrious,10=Highly industrious)
*Ability to Handle Complex Litigation:	(1=Awful,10=Excellent)
*Punctuality:	(1=Chronic`y Late,10=Always on Time)
*Evenhandedness in Civil Litigation:	(1=Demonstrates Bias,10=Entirely Evenhanded)
*Evenhandedness in Criminal Litigation:	(1=Demonstrates Bias,10=Entirely Evenhanded)
Flexibility In Scheduling	(1=Completely Inflexible,10=Very Flexible)
General Inclination Regarding Bail	(1=Pro-Defense,10=Pro-Government)
General Inclination in Criminal Cases, Pre-Trial:	(1=Pro-Defense,10=Pro-Government)
Involvement in Civil Settlement Discussions:	(1=Least Involved,10=Most Involved)
General Inclination in Criminal Cases, Trial:	(1=Pro-Defense,10=Pro-Government)
General Inclination in Criminal Cases, Sentencing:	(1=Most Lenient,10=Most Harsh)
Typical Discount Off Guidelines for Cooperators:	(1=10%,10=100%)

Comments

Items marked with (*) are averaged into the displayed overall rating

What others have said about Hon. Frederick J. Kapala

Comments

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 12603
Rating:3.7

Comments:
This guy is super-anal. pro-government nit-picker who can often totally miss the boat by jumping to conclusions by being petty, He's much more interested in form and typos over substance or attaining real justice.

I've overheard Justices he severed with on the Illinois Appellate Court comment, I'n addition to being glad to see him leave, and have observed for myself, that he's not above politics. My "spies" tell me he has never commanded the respect of any of his peers. Even the local Magistrate Judge (a splendid fellow and wonderful jurist - Kapala couldn't shine his shoes) has been seen to involuntary roll his eyes (he's too classy to comment) at what he does, as do many of the bar.

Watch out! Judge Kapala will twist and use anything you might say against you in his minute order and seems to thrive on ad homonym attacks on lawyers and litigants in his written opinions, in chambers and in his courtroom.

Bottom line, the reality is that if you file a case in the U.S. District Court in Rockford you'll pretty much be stuck with this condescending, petty, "small" man. The saving factor, you'll have the distinct pleasure of spending most of your time before Magistrate Judge Mahoney, one of the most fair, most competent, most respectful and respected jurists there is!