Hon. Sam E. Haddon See Rating Details
District Judge See Comments
D.Mont.  
Average Rating:3.2 - 37 rating(s)
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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%)
  Items marked with (*) are averaged into the displayed overall rating
Comments


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What others have said about Hon. Sam E. Haddon


Comments


Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 33614
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Just awful. He is probably the worst federal judge in the US,

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 33613
Rating:3.3
Comments:
The worst federal judge in the State of Montana. A disgrace to the robe. All of these negative comments are true.

Other

Comment #: 24990
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Is SOB in his court. I dislike him like the plague. He should be judged by the people he judged already, especially Naive Americans. PIGT

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 23680
Rating:1.0
Comments:
He never should have been appointed to the bench. Beware of the positive comments which seem to be posted by people who are doing the judge a favor. This is the worst judge in the country. If you draw him as a judge run away as fast as you can.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: 23679
Rating:10.0
Comments:
Intelligent and industrious.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: 23590
Rating:1.0
Comments:
He needs to retire.

Other

Comment #: 23589
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
This man is verbally abusive to one and all. Worse, he uses this abuse as crude smokescreen to cover for his glaring lack of understanding of the issues in front of him and makes grossly inappropriate responses to the attorneys. I seriously wonder he has sufficient cognitive ability to serve. Every time I have observed his court he has threatened, insulted, ridiculed and been dismissive of one or more attorneys. He lacks the temperament to be a judge. This man has no place in our judicial system.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 23251
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Is this horror story of a judge still on the bench? Pity the poor souls who draw this judge.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 23250
Rating:2.3
Comments:
What can be said about Judge Haddon? He's arrogant, believes that he is "anointed, not appointed," could care less about what the law requires him to do if it doesn't comport with what he wants to do, and is so ill-prepared for critical hearings that it is shocking. Don't expect a fair hearing. he will tell you what the facts are, and will tolerate no attempts to correct clearly erroneous impressions. He is a classic example of why mandatory retirement is a good idea. He is very big on strictly applying Local Rules and oblivious when it comes to applying law that is inconvenient for the result he wants. My sympathies if you draw Judge Haddon on any case.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 23193
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Is a living demonstration of why the Founding Fathers made a huge mistake giving life tenure to Article III Judges. Biased in extreme. Doesn't feel bound by either the law or the Court rules. Should not be on the bench.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 22681
Rating:2.3
Comments:
Judge Haddon is a loose cannon, who, although he enjoys abusing counsel in general, he goes off the deep end in heaping abuse on the lawyers on the side he doesn't like. He is a bully from the bench, and if you are a lawyer who will not stand up to that bullying and hold your ground if you think you are correct, he will roll right over you. He generally likes short and sweet orders and he usually if not always has his written decision when he takes the bench. He could care less about the law if it conflicts with whatever it is that he wants to do. I don't mind judges who disagree with my arguments when discretion is available, but I have a serious problem with following his own agenda irrespective of the law. Advice to a lawyer appearing before him: Stand your ground, don't be bullied, and don't let him cut you off or push you into positions you don't agree with.

Other

Comment #: 22597
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
I clerked for Judge Haddon which was one of the best professional experiences of my life. He is the hardest working person I've every been around and takes his judicial responsibilities very seriously. He has very high expectations for himself and everyone around him.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 22313
Rating:3.3
Comments:
Everything bad a judge could be. Imperious. Nasty. Condescending know it all. Horrible case of black robe disease.

Probation or Pretrial Officer

Comment #: 22157
Rating:2.3
Comments:
Argumentative, Interrupter, Delays Trials to everyone's detriment. Multiple errors in applying law, adds his personal judgement. Should use what is left of his career to improve his record of incompetence.

Other

Comment #: 21148
Rating:9.0
Comments:
I was a defendant in his courtroom, and I thought he was a by-the-book judge. He was frustrated with the lawyers because they either weren't prepared, or hadn't properly filed the paperwork -- and I didn't blame him. (At the federal level you expect a certain degree of competence.) I thought he listened to what I had to say, and he was respectful, and he knows the law!

Other

Comment #: 13740
Rating:1.0
Comments:
I think he is the worst judge if you can call him that to ever step up on the benck. I have seen him myself belittle not only the defendant, but the people who where there for him. He works himself into to a mad and then everyone gets it. I know that he is a very discriminating judge, and could care less who he steps on. We are his carpet.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: 13522
Rating:10.0
Comments:
Not a bad sort, but misunderstood by people with weak cases.

Other

Comment #: 12537
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
excellant judge, especially with the Fort Peck Tribes theft issue.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 11794
Rating:1.0
Comments:
This judge truly is the worst there is in the U.S. Avoid him at all costs. This is his retirement job and he does as he pleases without regard to the law or any semblance of justice. He goes out of his way to abuse clients and lawyers in civil cases, creating his own version of events and misinterpreting the law along the way.

Other

Comment #: 10645
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Refuses to defend the constituton and the people. Works to closely with goverment and ignores the facts.

Other

Comment #: 10041
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Is this guy still a Judge? He shoulds start his own gag me with a stick party, either that or start his own stand up comedy for Catherine Coulter

Other

Comment #: 9865
Rating:1.0
Comments:
This guy is going to manage mp stock holders money while he only has 11 toes

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 9716
Rating:1.3
Comments:
Results-oriented and abusive to attorneys and litigants.

Other

Comment #: 9558
Rating:1.0
Comments:
This guy should never have been born! He is an ENIMIE to our constitution

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: 9553
Rating:3.4
Comments:
His decisions are so rediculously far from established law, it is difficult to take him seriously.

Other

Comment #: 8804
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Quite interesting reading below. I was at the guy's investiture -- you would have thought he was the second coming. It was, in hindsight, a carefully orchestrated sham. But, as Mark Twain reminds us, "The glory built on a lie soon becomes an uncomfortable encumbrance."

Other

Comment #: 8622
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
I really have to say one think a judge like sam haddon should be removed from the beanch not becouse he is incredibel biest but becouse he dont have a lot of expirence. I f the 9 circiut court all ways have to up hold his sentence it really makes me see he dont have a lot of expirience in what he is doing.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: 7443
Rating:2.6
Comments:
A one-sided judge who walks in the door with a conviction already in his hand. If the prosecution can't do it on their own that's when this judge takes over and helps push the jury over the edge.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 5672
Rating:1.5
Comments:
Read Comment #2741, as it is spot on. Judge Haddon legislates from the bench regularly, cares little for stare decisis, is the poster child for Robe's Disease, is quite aware of the limits of appellate review, reminds one of the loony Prime Minister in the movie "V," and clearly loves his little feifdom of power in Western Montana so much that he'll never retire. In one way he appears evenhanded: he treats all attorneys as if they have no case but the one in front of him and all litigants as if they are wealthy. Thereby he appears to be doing all he can to increase the billible hours for the Bar.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: 2741
Rating:2.9
Comments:
Imperious, mean-spirited, Holier-than-thou, abusive and degrading towards counsel and parties alike. One of the best descriptions that I have heard of the man came from a civil lawyer who described him as someone who made up "his mind forty years ago." Superficially and briefly charming, his true character shows through very quickly. I've seen him abuse jurors, witnesses, law enforcement, and counsel with alacrity. By disposition and temperment, he was a horrible choice for the bench. Making matters worse, he is not very smart. He denigrates those who appear before him as a way of compensating for his lack of intellect.