The Robing Room

Hon. Leonard D. Wexler	See Rating Details
District Judge	See Comments
E.D.N.Y.
Average Rating:4.6 - 28 rating(s)

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*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. Leonard D. Wexler

Comments

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 10642
Rating:3.8

Comments:
He''s bad. Sustains his own objections, holds a grudge, doesn''t allow witnesses to testify, yells at all of the attorneys. He cannot hear what''s being said so he gets confused. I believe he understands the law, he just refuses to apply it properly. At his age, it''s not clear why he''s still on the bench. He should be retired.

Other

Comment #: 10527
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
My relative has experienced many unfair decisions,from Judge Wexler, during both the trial (Comment 6718) and during the appeal processes. He is partial toward the government, and he refuses to meet with the family who witnessed a Constitutional injustice on behalf of the defendant during the trial. I have written to him personally, to the justice above him, and DOJ about the situation. There were many flaws in this case, and he is trying to cover them all up. If you are interested in reading more, there is a website where you can see the original letter written, parts of the case, and the appeal responses. He has gone out of his way to give the US Attorney additional time to respond, while ignoring the facts presented by the defendant. PLEASE VISIT - www.bringjohnnyhome.com

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: 8936
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Abusive personality on the bench. He may have been a good judge at one point in time, but not any longer.

Other

Comment #: 8552
Rating:8.0

Comments:
he convicted me, but I think he was still fair, even though I was innocent of my plea. Sometimes you're in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong company, and you know you shouldn't be there, but you can't leave without serious repercussions from those wrong people. So you take your punishment and move on!

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 8381
Rating:1.3

Comments:
I have had the horrible experience of going in front of Judge Wexler in a civil case. He has no respect for pro se people. He is in the pockets of the big corporate firms. He is arrogant. If it wasn't for his clerk telling him what to do, he would be lost. He really needs to be removed from the bench. He gives justice and law a bad name. He ignores the law. He makes his own laws. Something really needs to done about a judge like this. Judge Wexler is one of the worst judges I have ever seen! The ones that left favorable comments have to be some of his cronies. He is the king when it comes to cronyism.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 8317
Rating:1.3

Comments:
Pay attention to his law clerk. She makes all the decisions. Judge Wexler looks for her thumbs-up or thumbs-down before he will issue a ruling. His rulings are often arbitrary and capricious. He does not follow the law. He is one of the worst judges I have ever seen. Believe all of the bad things that you have heard about him.

Other

Comment #: 6718
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Judge Leonard D. Wexler does not listen to bail hearings where defendants have exhausted finances to have them prepared. He allows evidence which should be carefully reviewed, and suppressed, into his courtroom, where the lawyers have to fight their way out of a paper bag on behalf of their defendant. He allows FBI agents to present improper evidence at trial without stopping the trial, thus siding with the government, and putting the defendant in further jeopardy. He uses humor to pull the jury into the government's position. He says, "The jury doesn't want to deliberate any longer. The want to go to...holiday." He cares more about pleasing the jury, and less about presenting a fair trial for the defendants. He is wasting taxpayers' dollars, allowing defendants to serve serious time due to his unfair practices during trial. He intimidates defense lawyers during the trial, sending subliminal messages to the jury. He allows unfair charges "some of which he has never heard of" to be placed against defendants by corrupt and unfair DA's, who are not the actual DA at trial, causing defendants to exhaust further finances on appeals. I'd like to speak to him face to face! Is there a lawyer out there who would like to fight our case and bring our loved one home where he belongs?

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 6521
Rating:2.7

Comments:
If you like a judge who calls up your opposing counsel to chat about your case, then Leonard Wexler is for you. If you like a snarky jerk, he fits the bill. If you like your typical arrogant judge paired with an absence of substantive knowledge, he is the choice. However, if you seem to remember something in law school ethics about ex parte communications being verboten, if you value humility and good humor, or if you would really like to have your presiding judge actually read that Motion for Summary Judgment that you spent weeks writing, then I suggest you try like hell to avoid this dope. I suffered this fool in silence when he vacationed in my favorite Virginia courthouse and am happy I no longer run the risk of having his name pop up on my docket sheet.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 5228
Rating:9.3

Comments:
Seeks justice and fair play. Gets to the point with no nonsense. A bit fast-paced. Will not suffer fools easily. Great staff.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: 5041
Rating:6.8

Comments:
Judge Wexler is from the old school. Show up prepared and be prepared to get clobbered, no matter how prepared you are. However, that being said, he is very fair, knows his cases and the law, and his clerks are top notch. Don't take his criticism personally, as he is wont to put every lawyer in the room "in their place," but he is a very good judge, a good person and just an old curmudgeon. You will get a fair shake in the end. We could use more judges with his temperament and sense of fairness. Your Honor, please don't retire, you are the backbone of the EDNY and I wish some of the other judges in your courthouse could take lessons from you on behavior towards parties and attorneys -- and, most importantly, fairness.

Other

Comment #: 4642
Rating:2.0

Comments:
The comments on this site about this judge have been right on target... He embarrassed me as a witness making a snide remark to the jury about my occupation and then refused to allow me to finish testimony and in the middle of it told the lawyers to release me. He played the jury trying to make them laugh... In any case, this judge has compromised the needed balance between legal and moral and thus, it is my personal belief that he is corrupt and should be investigated and relieved of duties. My husband and his lawyers went to trial believing in the system. It did not matter what the decision of the jury would be as long as they would have been allowed to do their job.

Other

Comment #: 3311
Rating:2.0

Comments:
Judges like that need to go! There has to be an age limit. I have never seen a court room like that before. Made a joke of the court room.

Other

Comment #: 3195
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
The past two comments regarding this Judge seem suspect. I can't imagine anyone (including his close relatives) giving him more than 2 on temperament!

Court Staff

Comment #: 3181
Rating:7.0

Comments:
I have watched Judge Wexler for almost a year now in Virginia. Although not so timely in his decisions, he has taken significant interest in specific cases that warrant slow decisions. I have observed him show compassion to a defendant who purchased a bulletproof vest that later became illegal, only because the defendant didn't comply with a minor technicality - while my colleagues have practically tried to give the defendant the death penalty. We will miss him in Virginia when he leaves as he seems to be very fair and compassionate.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 2880
Rating:8.3

Comments:
Fast mover & conducts rapid trial. Will let you lead wit all the way until the key issue. Will rarely overturn jury verdict. Dislikes motions. The quicker the presentation the happier the judge. failure to present your case orderly and swiftly we ruin your day and (night).

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 2714
Rating:4.0

Comments:
Judge Wexler has had dispositive cross-motions pending for 22 months. after one year he denied both motions and then sua sponte reinstated them. They are still undecided. God only knows why this situation has not prompted the chief judge to get involved.

Still more dispositive motions on a different aspect of the same case have been pending for the last 6 months.

I think his practice of spending several months in Virginia each year may be causing him to take much longer to decide cases from his own district.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 2303
Rating:2.3

Comments:
This is one of the most mean spirited individuals I have ever met. He lacks judicial temprament and is not remotely as smart as he thinks he is, plus he does not listen.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 2128
Rating:7.7

Comments:
I've had numerous civil cases (plaintiff) before him over the years, and find Judge Wexler, his law clerks, and courtroom deputy to be a pleasure to practice before. He takes the measure of a case early on, and he has always been good on settling cases that deserve to be settled. While not my first choice out of the wheel, I'm never upset when he is assigned to any of my cases.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: 1774
Rating:1.6

Comments:
The worst!

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: 1215
Rating:4.6

Comments:
This opinion is based on observation during a four week criminal trial while Judge Wexler was sitting in ED VA. He is, quite simply, a terrible judge.. A yeller, a browbeater, a one-sided unabashed prosecution lover. (He is a former prosecutor.) He went out of his way to intimidate attorneys and expert witnesses. Doesn't pay much attention to legal citations that are clearly relevant procedurally. Out of the presence of the jury, downright ugly. On the positive side, he treated the jury very well, kept to a time schedule that used their days effectively. Otherwise, mean and nasty, not very intelligent.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: 1200
Rating:3.0

Comments:
doesn't listen and isn't fair.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: 1106
Rating:2.3

Comments:
Doesn't know the law and doesn't care.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: 1000
Rating:3.3

Comments:
Very unpredictable. On the one hand he has a down to earth attitude that is refreshing and he tells you what is on his mind. On the other hand he can be petty and rash.
He's been particularly difficult in death penalty cases, e.g., withholding appointment of mitigation specialists pre-designation.

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Ratings

What others have said about Hon. Leonard D. Wexler

Comments

Civil Litigation - Private

Other

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Other

Civil Litigation - Private

Civil Litigation - Private

Other

Civil Litigation - Private

Civil Litigation - Private

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Other

Other

Other

Court Staff

Civil Litigation - Private

Civil Litigation - Private

Civil Litigation - Private

Civil Litigation - Private

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Criminal Defense Lawyer