"The Robing Room: IL State Judges

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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. Martin C. Kelley

Comments

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: IL2300
Rating:3.6

Comments:
Judge Kelly doesn't know the law very well and, I think as a result, doesn't want to try cases. Tried to force a settlement in an impossible case, drove the fees on both sides so high with "pre-trial conferences" and by sua sponte changing his rulings that he, personally, made settlement impossible. Changed his mind on several key rulings that blew the scope of trial wide open (needlessly and incorrectly), easily tripling the cost (which no judge seems to ever take into account), and then threatened my client with a reduced attorney fee award if he didn't settle (despite the fact it was HE (along with a terrible opponent) who drove up the costs with excessive pretrials, briefing and not granting motions in limine to keep the trial to the issues. Tristano was much better, and handled bad lawyers much better. Kelly lets obnoxious lawyers walk all over him. Take the SOJ.