"The Robing Room: CA State Judges

Hon. John C Cope	See Rating Details
Judge Superior Court
Contra Costa County	See Comments

Attorney Average Rating: 9.7 - 1 rating(s) Non-Attorney Average Rating: 2.0 - 7 rating(s)	Please send me alerts on this judge E-mail Address:

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Only items marked with (*) are averaged into the displayed overall rating.

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

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What others have said about Hon. John C Cope

Comments

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: CA34139
Rating:9.7

Comments:
I recently served as jury selection and dismissed toward the end of the process. I found Judge Cope to be very amiable, conscientious, and fair. I was very impressed.

Litigant

Comment #: CA25321
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Justice Cope exhibits a preference for men, and a blatant disregard for the California Community Property Law. He should not be a lawyer because he cares very little for upholding the law and serving justice. I learned this the hard way. Do not hire a female lawyer with Cope. He doesn't seem to like when women are physically abused, but if a women wants her share of community property he does not allow it.

Litigant

Comment #: CA16586
Rating:10.0

Comments:
I appeared in front of Judge Cope almost two years ago, at a DVRO hearing. Judge Cope had clearly reviewed my application and asked specific questions related to the information that I had provided. He was prepared. He did not seem bored and was not watching the clock. I was disappointed when a different judge was assigned to the actual dissolution petition. I was more than satisfied with my experience and hold Judge Cope in the highest regard. I wish him well on his departure from family court. As is clear from the prior reviews, presiding over family law matters seems like a thankless job.

Other

Comment #: CA15548
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Judge Cope is never prepared. Does not read anything submitted. It is comical to watch him stumble to get started. He never has eye contact when you are speaking. He is usually looking at the clock. My favorite after he rescheduled us 2 times, with my attorney present, 'How am I supposed to read all this?' That is his job! He rules on issues that are against the law. Does not hold people accountable for breaking judgement orders. Sides with sloppy attorneys that are his friends. Has no respect for female attorneys. Does not uphold the law, and in fact will make ruling in opposition of the law. He does not allow people to a fair trial based on evidence as he never allows time to present. He is a disgrace to the industry. He should find a career he is suited for.

Other

Comment #: CA14620
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Judge Cope does not uphold the law and in fact will make ruling in opposition of the law which applies. Judge Cope does not enforce his own orders. He is not a punctual judge. His court has continued cases without putting the case on the court's schedule, causing litigants to have to return to court several times. His court conducts many hearings without the presence of a court reporter to record minutes of the hearing. Judge Cope gives meaningless lectures without relevance. Judge Cope should not be a judge at all.

Other

Comment #: CA14477
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Most of the comments listed here are shockingly accurate. Judge Cope is disinterested, doesn't read documents prior to hearings, and he does not enforce his own orders/rulings from hearing to hearing. When he orders something, the next time you appear, and the other party has violated the Order (in several ways), there are absolutely zero consequences. Cope is an extremely weak judge in this regard. He issues no real rulings other than to kick the can down the road, lecture litigants without ordering any change whatsoever leading both parties to have to return to his court which costs everyone (including tax payers) massive amounts of money and is a waste of everyone's time. While litigant complaints are inherently biased, (so you have to take each one with a grain of salt), you have a big pile of salt here with Judge Cope. Just hope you can Cope with the weakness in this judge's courtroom. Also, Judge Cope will be gone in January 2019 - that's a big hallelujah for him (because it's obvious he hates family court) and for litigants. Last note - Cope strangely says "good luck" to the parties at the end of each matter. It's bc you will need luck with this judge because you won't receive any interest/work/justice or meaty rulings out of him.

Other

Comment #: CA13370
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
After observing his court dozens of times it is easy to say he is a very fair judge. Many of these other reviews are clearly biased because the rulings were not in their favor. People need to remember both sides will not agree with the judges ruling. He uses good judgement with difficult cases.

Other

Comment #: CA12806
Rating:1.0

Comments:
rating: 0
Judge Cope does not display any interest in the proceedings. the tesimonty deserves attention by an unbiased judiciary. He spends most of his time looking at the clock and around the ceiling; his face has an expression of acute boredom. He makes irrelevant statements, doesn;'t look at the facts of an important incident therefore making a judgement that is just stupid and completely irrelevant. He does not enforce his own decisions when the parties have to return to court to work things out since one party is not honoring his judgement. Why bother spending $$, time and emotion with an officer of the court that is brain dead!

Other

Comment #: CA12562
Rating:1.0

Comments:
This Judge let my wife and adult daughter get away with Perjury on a first complaint a totally fabricated story of abuse and violated my civil rights and has issued me a 3 Years no contact order and made me a retired veteran on disability a homeless man after almost dying a year and a half ago spent my LIFES SAVINGS to do a reverse mortgage on our house to better take care of my family. Told me to be quiet or be held in contempt and would not give me a chance at due process. MY CIVIL RIGHTS HAVE BEEN TRAMPLED ON BY THIS SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE.

Other

Comment #: CA12406
Rating:1.0

Comments:
This judge doesn't enforce his own rulings. He looks turned off, bored and uninvolved in the court proceedings. He sits with head in hand watching the clock. His comments are shockingly irrelevant. Coming to court for any reason is a serious matter..boring as it may be for him, the process and it's outcome for the individuals who come before him dictates the future of the entire family and should be attended to with seriousness and fairness. He should retire immediately.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA12229
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
This guy shouldn't be in family law. He has no idea what he is doing. And looks miserable being there. Stick him back in a criminal law department.

Other

Comment #: CA11855
Rating:1.0

Comments:
He's horrible. He pays no attention to what he is doing so as long as you're not in a position to get screwed he's the judge you want. If you need a judge to use common sense and their own discernment--Forget it if his is the room you're walking into. He's lazy