"The Robing Room: AZ State Judges

Hon. Bethany G. Hicks	See Rating Details
Superior Court Judge Superior Court
Maricopa County	See Comments
Phoenix
Attorney Average Rating: 6.3 - 10 rating(s) Non-Attorney Average Rating: 5.0 - 9 rating(s)	Please send me alerts on this judge E-mail Address:

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General Rating Criteria

* 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=Chronically Late,10=Always on Time)
* General Ability to Handle Pre-Trial Matters		(1=Not all Able, 10=Extremely Able)
* General Ability as a Trial Judge		(1=Not all Able, 10=Extremely Able)
Flexibility In Scheduling		(1=Completely Inflexible,10=Very Flexible)

Criminal Rating Criteria (if applicable)

* Evenhandedness in Criminal Litigation		(1=Demonstrates Bias,10=Entirely Evenhanded)
General Inclination Regarding Bail		(1=Pro-Defense,10=Pro-Government)
Involvement in Plea Discussions		(1=Not at all Involved, 10=Very Involved)
General Inclination in Criminal Cases Pretrial Stage		(1=Pro-prosecution,10=Pro-defense)
General Inclination in Criminal Cases Trial Stage		(1=Pro-prosecution,10=Pro-defense)
General Inclination in Criminal Cases Sentencing Stage		(1=Pro-prosecution,10=Pro-defense)

Civil Rating Criteria (if applicable)

* Evenhandedness in Civil Litigation		(1=Not at all Evenhanded,10=Entirely Evenhanded)
Involvement in Settlement Discussions		(1=Not at all Involved,10=Very Involved)
General Inclination		(1=Pro-defendant, 10=Pro-plaintiff)

Comments

What others have said about Hon. Bethany G. Hicks

Comments

Other

Comment #: AZ493
Rating:10.0

Comments:
Having read some of the reviews, I have to say that first, most appear from the same disgruntled litigant. The story changes just enough to appear to be a different person, but the common thread is still there. This is simply someone who didn't like the Judge's ruling. Plain and simple. Judge Hicks is known throughout the system as a caring person whose first goal is to follow the law. She favors neither side and in the juvenile court and in the family court, her intent is ALWAYS to do what is in the best interest of the children. In civil court, she was thoughtful and precise in her rulings. For someone to come on a site like this and trash her is beyond contempt. Shame on you "anonymous, invisible person". That is the problem with these sites, anyone can get on here and trash someone with the intent of ruining a career. Anyone who has appeared in her court, who judges her not by whether or not they "get their way", but how she came to a decision will tell you she is fair and honest.

Litigant

Comment #: AZ477
Rating:1.0

Comments:
You had better figure out how to make her like you personally the first time you appear before her otherwise you are toast. She ignores the facts and rules according to which side she likes better regardless of the facts. Despite proven perjury she stated in open court that "this is family court not criminal" and refused to even consider the perjury evidence.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: AZ471
Rating:9.9

Comments:
Although the client did not succeed to the maximum extent, she understood why the judge ruled as she did and agreed that it was fair based on the evidence. As an aside, my experience is that Judge Hicks is rarely appealed and when she is, she is almost invariably affirmed Clearly she knows the law and can apply it to the facts.

Other

Comment #: AZ470
Rating:9.0

Comments:
Exceptional job. The judge had fully reviewed and was familiar with the file.
Her rulings reflected thoughtful analysis of the testimony and sensitivity to the "right" decision under the circumstances. It is unfortunate, but presumably understandable, that some of the litigants in dissolution or post-trial decree proceedings would be unfamiliar with the law or the judge's responsibilities. It is nice to be in front of a truly capable judge.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: AZ463
Rating:10.0

Comments:
Judge Hicks is the definition of a great judge. She is prepared, knows (and cares about) the law and applies it properly to the case at hand. We need more judges like Judge Hicks.

Other

Comment #: AZ460
Rating:1.0

Comments:
During our divorce she praised my ex's "honesty" for her filing in under 30 days in the wrong county. During our hearing she didn't want to hear any of the circumstances of the case. She just awarded the house to my ex because she thought it was fair. She also then gave my ex my protected address, breaking the protection order from another judge. Right after she made her ruling two Federal marshals arrested her for varying charges in front of her. So good job Hicks! You just awarded the house to a pedophile/prostitute and putting those same children in danger! Great judgement of character and person!

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: AZ424
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Disturbingly unprofessional.

Other

Comment #: AZ423
Rating:1.0

Comments:
She would not allow me to speak in a custody hearing. My ex had a lawyer and she was very unprofessionally flirting with the attorney. We had 3 people that witnessed it with us and were astounded at such unprofessional behavior, especially with such a serious matter like the safety of the children. she then ruled without out any of my proof, testimony or witnesses could speak. My husband asked if he could address the judge (since he was a main subject in this case was against him) She became overly emotional and said that she wanted it noted my husband could not control himself and removed him from the court room. My ex husbands girlfriend began to clap and 'woot' at this order. I asked why she was not being removed for such blatant inappropriate bias in a case, she told me to 'Shut up!' Which was very unnecessary for a judge to say to a Defendant or anyone in a professional environment. I would assume ANY professional judge would find that cheering in a court room is way more out of line than asking to address the judge! She then asked my ex husband what he wanted and granted it. I was never even address in the matter of custody. I have seen unprofessional civil/government employees but her behavior was shockingly inappropriate and has endangered my children. After just 2 weeks in his care (after him not spending more than 15 times a year for dinner and a movie by his choice) He does not know the childrens health issues, personalities or anything about them. Out of no where he wanted the kids when he hadn't wanted them for 8 years. I am still stunned at such blatant disregard of the actual situation and the safety of 2 children that are now in a VERY unsafe environment.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: AZ182
Rating:9.4

Comments:
Excellent judge. Does not suffer fools gladly. If an attorney or pro per is unprepared or trying to b.s. the court, he or she will not fare well in Judge Hicks' court.

Other

Comment #: AZ169
Rating:2.0

Comments:
Sunday, October 23, 2011

It's time to be silent no longer....

Judge Hicks is an embarrassment to the honor and objectivity of the Maricopa Superior Court and should be replaced in the next elections. (I understand that a grass roots movement has already begun).

ACTUAL CASE EXAMPLE:

AZ is supposed to be a community property state. I witnessed her in family court and she took a good provider yet down and out (former executive) man and gave 50% of the assets to the wife, and his 50% to the wife as well (their total net worth of approximately $1M). She judged him on income 10 years earlier for child and spousal support, before becoming alcoholic. There was no violence in the relationship. Hicks left the husband destitute and homeless and sent him back into his addiction. After his recovery (on his own, no thanks to her) and getting back on his feet (never to the same level) and 10 years later the husband has paid all his child support, yet is still paying (diligently) his spousal support. He went from President of a consulting firm to car salesman and humbly continues to pay.

After 10 years, he has now completed all his child support and not missed a payment. He will be finished with the supposal support after a total of 15 years when he turns 65 (outrageous)! With savings & 401k exhausted to meet payments, he will also probably die a poor man and dependent on the system. The wife has since gotten a good job in Scottsdale and uses the spousal support as a bonus /supplement to her income (of course no incentive to get married again).

I guess Judge Hicks was trying to make her mark and a statement (being relatively new in familycourt at that time) as a tough judge. Mission accomplished. His lawyer said that “In 26 years of family court representation, he had never seen such a one-sided judgment”. At the time, the man did not have the $1,000 retainer to appeal the decision because all incoming monies were frozen ($15k per month, $12k given to her, $3k to him, before the ruling). He also had to pay for HER attorney fees! In the end all Her Honor did was destroy a family.

Today, the children are grown and in their 20’s. They believe that all of good things in life (money, etc) came from the mother and today will not speak to the Dad. The Dad has paid over $200,000 in child support (college, etc) and spousal support through the clearinghouse in the last 10 years. He is scheduled to pay another $140,000 in the next 8 years of spousal support. Well, Judge Hicks certainly made a statement.

Of course, a couple of years later, the outrageousness of her ruling was later modified to a somewhat reasonable level by a Judge who did his homework. So sad. Here’s the good news Judge Hicks, you will be pleased to know that today in 2011, the wife is doing just fine.

Other

Comment #: AZ159
Rating:10.0

Comments:
I may not be qualified to comment on Judge Hicks’ knowledge of the law, which a few other posters have criticized on this site. But as the father of a child who’s been battling drug addiction for a few years, I can say Bethany Hicks brings something to the judicial system that’s sorely lacking in other Maricopa County courtrooms: heart. In my experiences with other juvenile court judges, I’ve found that most are simply focused on finding a legal reason to lock up troubled juveniles; to remove them from society until they’re of legal age and therefore will no longer be a burden on the juvenile court system. Judge Hicks, however, appears to truly care about the futures of the juveniles who stand before her. Rather than ship each child off to one of Maricopa County’s inadequate juvenile detention centers so he or she can learn to be an adult criminal, she appears to take into account the child’s individual circumstances and makes her decision on what she feels will most likely benefit the child. Her interest isn’t as much in punishing children as it is in REFORMING them—which is what the judicial system was originally designed to do. Sure, there will always be a percentage of defendants who are destined to be repeat offenders regardless of others’ efforts to turn their lives around—but one has to wonder how many potentially productive, fruitful lives were nipped in the bud by judges who lost sight of these facts: Defendants are people; people—especially juveniles—make mistakes; and people can change. If more judges would just take a minute to look up from their legal books and realize these common truths, as Bethany Hicks does, society would likely be much better for it.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: AZ107
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Albeit all smiles and congeniality in the courtroom, Judge Hicks is quite simply an incompetent Arizona civil docket judge. She is routinely one-sided, egregiously unknowing of the most black letter of Arizona law, and prone to disregard stare decisis. She is one of the least benightedly unintelligent adjudicative life forms it has been my profound lack of pleasure not to be able to avoid arguing in front of.

Other

Comment #: AZ93
Rating:1.0

Comments:
If Judge Hicks is an example of the judges sitting on our courts, we are truly headed for a down fall. She is an American tragedy. She may always judge against women in her court, but she will most definitely rule against brown faster.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: AZ72
Rating:8.6

Comments:
Judge Hicks really cares about the quality and integrity of our judicial system

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: AZ64
Rating:2.5

Comments:
Entirely setting aside comments about judicial demeanor and leanings, the greatest concern about this judge is a dual concern about profound lack of knowledge of the law and procedure, and constant efforts to cover up and compensate for it. I have been on the winning side of her rulings for two years but she still doesn't know about the case, the law or how to get to a conclusion.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: AZ61
Rating:9.6

Comments:
Extraordinarily conscientious. Does her homework diligently. A gem. Disliked by inexperienced and unprepared counsel.

Prosecutor

Comment #: AZ55
Rating:1.2

Comments:
I have seen her in court several times. She will always rule against women in her court when there is a male opposing counsel. Kind of hypocritical, since she is a member of AWLA. She is ignorant of the law and does not care if she is wrong and will never admit it.

Other

Comment #: AZ28
Rating:10.0

Comments:
Judge Hicks has a true commitment to the law.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: AZ12
Rating:9.6

Comments:
Exceptional concern for doing justice.