Hon. Helen I Harrington See Rating Details
Associate Circuit Judge
Circuit Court
Charles County
7th Circuit
See Comments

Attorney Average Rating:   4.2 - 5 rating(s)
Non-Attorney Average Rating:   1.0 - 11 rating(s)
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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. Helen I Harrington


Comments


Other

Comment #: MD6531
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Judge completely biased against father's just had her recently. No matter what the mother does she'll find some way to justify they're actions. Does not look at best interest of child but best interest of mother.

Other

Comment #: MD6370
Rating:1.0
Comments:
I think Judge Harrington believes herself to be the shining light guiding those who have lost their way to a better life. Constantly letting people walk back out of the courthouse no matter how many times they have broken their probation. "You be good now." Is what her rulings add up to. In the mean time she is busy destroying the lives of those same peoples victims. PEDOPHILES, DRUG ADDICTS, and THIEVES know that her courtroom is one BIG REVOLVING DOOR. Puffing her chest out as the saviour of those demented people. Letting the PEDOPHILE that was found guilty of abusing two boys but suspected of many others walk out of her court room again with the knowledge that he admitted to breaking his probation. Not once but three times. She is a woman with no morals. She endangers our children, homes and livelihoods.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD5666
Rating:1.0
Comments:
HORRIBLE JUDGE

Other

Comment #: MD5665
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Judge Harrington needs to be investigated. She is a ruthless Judge that gives no thought to her rulings. She sees fit to use her authority to cast personal dispersions against men in ANY case. She hates men and fathers. This will be reported to local media.

Litigant

Comment #: MD5015
Rating:1.0
Comments:
I have yet to understand why cases are assigned to Judges based on them or their family personally experiencing situations similar to the case the Judges are hearing. It automatically makes the Judge bias and opinionated in a negative manner against the defendant. The defendant doesn't have a chance in hell of a fair trial.

Litigant

Comment #: MD4831
Rating:1.0
Comments:
This judge places children with the violent parent, rather than with stable parents with no history of violence. She uses the word "fair" a lot, but it doesn't seem she understands the meaning of the word.

Other

Comment #: MD3477
Rating:8.0
Comments:
Judge Harrington presided over my son criminal hearing and I would say she is a great judge who listens and considers ll the issues in the hearing and take them into consideration. I felt throughout she really listened and weighed heavily on her decision to be both fair to the victims and fairly in her punishment of my son. The second time in front of her for his sentence reconsideration, again I was impressed that she seemed to weigh all the presenting evidence and seemed legitimetly concerned about how the prison system work or sometimes fails to work and took a vested interest in his future to perhaps put him on a better path than just incaraceration.

Other

Comment #: MD3321
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Judge Harrington’s ability to continue to hear divorce cases is unbelievable. She is bias beyond reproach against men. This is blatantly obvious from the minute the trial starts, she refused to let the males attorney build a case and even goes as far as making up excuses to support the female in the case, (female admittedly does not pay rent as she lives with her boyfriend, however has a monthly expense of $1,600 which is questioned by lawyer, and judge denies the line of questioning and explains that the female would be lucky to find a place to stay for $1,600 a month, however does not acknowledge that this is a false expense and should not be included). She sits on the bench throughout the hearing because she has to, however it is very clear that she is already prepared to give her ruling the minute the hearing starts. She questions and scrutinizes the male’s financial statements and long forms for accuracy and validity however does not give the females documents a 2nd look, even going as far as questioning the male herself after the female’s lawyer has finished their line of questions. A simple example would be a $600 annual expense for clothing on the males long form, which she questioned a number of times, whereas the female had a number of not only false expenses which were brought to attention in court but ignored by the judge, but also $1,200 for getting her nails done, $6,000 in entertainment cost among others. Her own personal experience with divorce has caused her to be an unfair and unfit judge to hear or rule against all divorce cases.

Litigant

Comment #: MD2866
Rating:1.0
Comments:
This judge is blatantly biased against men. She basically ignored all testimony, and what testimony she did hear, she found a way to excuse the woman’s actions. Assumed the man is a liar, and the woman is a saint. She had made her decision before the case was even heard.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD2221
Rating:7.3
Comments:
I only tried one case in front of her -- an MVC with no permanent injury. I found her fair, pleasant, and approachable, and she worked well with the attorneys on scheduling and trying the case. I got a decent award from the jury, much better than what State Farm was offering to settle.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD2218
Rating:2.5
Comments:
This is a very narrow-minded female judge who does not rule based on a rational assessment of the situation, but rather based on her emotions and her fear of agreeing with a man who is strong.

Other

Comment #: MD2095
Rating:1.0
Comments:
I was in the courtroom while this judge presided over five cases yesterday, one involving my friend. This "judge" obviously was biased towards the women, making blanket statements including: "Even though her testimony did have holes in it, I believe it, and I find your testimony to be rehearsed." She also made accusations as if she had training in the medical field or any expertise at all. This was the most biased and predetermined outcome I have ever seen. She does not care to look at evidence or facts; she made up her mind before my friend could speak and no matter what he said she had already deemed him guilty and you could see it on her face as she glared at him and, at one point, put her head in her hand and closed her eyes as if she fell asleep while he testified. It was appalling. I cannot fathom how a judge can do this over the long term, after reading some complaints posted here and speaking with others that have faced her. She needs to be removed ASAP. She is a detriment to all.

Other

Comment #: MD2093
Rating:1.0
Comments:
As mentioned in other comments this judge is biased against men. I was in the gallery (not involved in a case) and witnessed four cases. She ignores blatant evidence and seems very predetermined to weigh against men, regardless of case matter. She also seems to intentionally make it harder for the male side to make a case. I have seen many fair and balanced judges. This is not one of them. Men will have an uphill battle with this judge. Her biased actions are so blatant, I am surprised she has not been investigated in some form.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1593
Rating:1.6
Comments:
Horrible judge for civil matters. With her only experience being criminal and family law , it is clear that she has no clue how to adjudicate civil matters, especially contract cases. Poor on evidence, rules, and basic information which should be admissible and/or inadmissible. Stay away from her if at all possible!!!

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1077
Rating:8.6
Comments:
I have only appeared before Harrington once as a judge, but I appeared before her on numerous occassions when she was a master. I always knew that I would receive a fair trial for my client, period.

If you are on point with the facts of the case, have a reasonable explination for the stupid things that your client may have done, and your client doesn't lie on the stand, you will get a fair shake.

However, I can say that she does not care for deadbeat dads or men that do not take care of their "domestic/ family" responsibilities.

Litigant

Comment #: MD960
Rating:2.0
Comments:
Although witnesses testimony contradicted each other, financial worksheet fabricated and sustained testimony unrelated to question and case, Judge did not rule fairly. This judge's mind is already made up before hearing the case. Does not rule fairly. Punishes fathers. Beware.

Litigant

Comment #: MD882
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Judge Harrington does not fairly weigh the evidence presented before her. She clearly comes onto the bench already knowing what the outcome will be. She is a horrible judge.

Other

Comment #: MD879
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
I have never heard of a judge making a ruling in favor of someone the judge admittedly knew was lying under oath. Judge Harrington clearly didn't weigh the evidence presented to her, she looked at the sex of the parents - and I guess in her book, the mother wins at whatever cost to the child.