"The Robing Room: DC State Judges

Hon. Michael L. Rankin	See Rating Details
Judge Superior
	See Comments

Attorney Average Rating: 2.7 - 7 rating(s) Non-Attorney Average Rating: 1.0 - 1 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. Michael L. Rankin

Comments

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: DC600
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Judge Rankin berated my client in open court for demanding a jury trial, then spent a couple of minutes yelling at me for filing the jury demand. He asked what law school I had attended. (What?!) My response--Georgetown--was obviously the wrong answer, as Judge Rankin then spent a couple of minutes complaining that Georgetown graduates were poor advocates. I've dealt with some pretty egregious judicial behavior (provincialism, general ignorance of the law, etc.), but this was probably the single worst experience of my career. I know others have had similar experiences. This man does not deserve to be anywhere near a courtroom, let alone on the bench.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: DC569
Rating:1.5

Comments:
Quite the unpleasant human being with a lack of regard for civil procedures and has a pro-corporation / anti-consumer sentiment towards civil / consumer litigation.

His understanding of basic DC code is childish at best.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: DC561
Rating:2.5

Comments:
This man should never have been permitted to be a judge. I am convinced that he was severely beaten as a child and has a chip on his shoulder which would make another man's back break. Rude, condescending, disrepecctful... he brings disrepute upon the bench. He should seriously be retired. Again, I have seen the full spectrum of judges, but he takes the cake. If you cannot be described by others as compassionate, then do not burden the world as a judge. Go and be a prison guard or something, lest see the deepest dredges of hell upon passing.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: DC558
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
my comment below was that I respected him not me.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: DC557
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
My experience with Judge Rankin has been much different that most of the comments below. I have tried several matters before him. I did not have any negative issues with him. He respected me and i respected me. There were times when opposing counsel did not understand the law or rules. I did not see him treat them harshly .

Other

Comment #: DC454
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
This judge is clueless and he has no idea as to what it means to be poor and black.

He does favor attorneys over pro-se individuals.

He really does not give you a chance to explain yourself..but is always asking you questions. Huh?

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: DC373
Rating:1.5

Comments:
Did not maintain any semblance of decorum or even-handedness. Uses the bench as a bully pulpit to attack the side he does not favor and definitely picks sides. Unencumbered by logic or legal precedents. Very negative experience.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: DC359
Rating:1.2

Comments:
As a lifelong African-American resident of Washington, D.C. and past civil case pro se plaintiff for the very first time before Judge Michael L. Rankin, I have to say that my experience was extremely negative. Regarding his courtroom demeanor, behavior, and actions, Judge Rankin was (quite surprisingly) very nasty, hostile, and clearly biased against me personally as the plaintiff and against my civil case for a jury trial against a local used-car dealer who terribly defrauded me and my daughter. I found this judge to not only be curiously biased against me, but believe him to have been unethical in his clear bias against me as the plaintiff.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: DC339
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
I agree completely with the other comments posted here. He is not very good.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: DC300
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
reputation for being pompous. is reversed in criminal cases and when he is upheld, he specifically requests for the opinion to be published. clearly, he doesnt like it when his judgment is challenged. hard to respect him when he acts the way he does, which is belittle people. he just thinks he smarter than he is, judges like that just have to be overturned once in while to keep their egos in line.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: DC270
Rating:2.1

Comments:
mean person. enjoys the awkward laughter he hears from the courtroom when he ridicules people standing before him. he favors attorneys who simply allow him to argue for them depending on whatever biases he has and he likes to interrupt a lot. he downright insults people and at times it is painful to watch. he isn't particularly intelligent but he isn't stupid either. it's hard to tell since he tends to think his time on the bench in comedy hour instead of giving the bench the attention is deserves. he is an embarrassment to the bench in DC.

Other

Comment #: DC218
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Judge Rankin does a dis-service to the pro se tenants who appear before him in Landlord and Tenant court. He demeans, belittles, and displays disdain for those who appear pro se. He replaces a lack of industry and knowledge by trying to evoke laughter from the audience in his court room with comedic nonsense. He has absolutely no interest in meting out justice. His courtroom is a platform for his arrogance and need to lord over the people whom he feels are beneath him. He has no business trying to adjudicate matters which he does care enough to properly render judgment. Rankin only wishes to clear his calender in the L & T court. Today there are many individuals suffering from the effect of the economic downturn. In many cases they cannot afford attorneys. Judge Rankin does not offer any guidance on where they may seek assistance or get information on procedural matters. He simply dismisses the cases. He should not be on the L & T bench. He is too lazy to refer to the statues.