"The Robing Room: MD State Judges

Hon. Michael J. Algeo	See Rating Details
Associate Judge Circuit Court
Montgomery County 6th Circuit	See Comments

Attorney Average Rating: 5.0 - 10 rating(s) Non-Attorney Average Rating: 4.0 - 5 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

What others have said about Hon. Michael J. Algeo

Comments

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1885
Rating:3.7

Comments:
He seems to favor defense attorneys mostly in civil matters and runs roughshod on plaintiff counsel to his own downfall. Pity he was once evenhanded and seems bitter or self centered

Other

Comment #: MD1631
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Judge Algeo should be removed from the Bench. He is as responsible for a child's death as the father who committed the crime. Judge Algeo is a despicable human being. Any and all possible charges should be brought against this Judge as the law allows.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD1630
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
SHAME ON YOU FOR BLOWING SMOKE at a family who needed you AND KILLING A BABY in the process. There is no honor in talking down to a mother desperate to save her child and blantantly ignoring evidence provided by lawmen. You are a disgrace. You failed that sweet baby. May his last moments haunt forever haunt you.

Other

Comment #: MD1607
Rating:1.0

Comments:
If you carry the title, "Honorable Justice so-and-so", shouldn't you be honorable and carry out your duty with justice? Unbelievable travesty of justice.

I want to clarify that I give this judge ZERO STARS, except that the criteria indicate that 1 star equals 'worst', that's the only reason I bothered selecting it.

I am so ashamed that he references his Veteran's status when presiding over this county. What a disgrace to the position he has been appointed to, to the state of Maryland and ultimately to our country.

You made it clear that you "hate family court." If it is that difficult a position for you to hold, perhaps you will consider stepping down?

The least you could do is return to your chambers to focus on that plaque your wife gave you: "In fifty years it won't matter what car you're driving ... it will matter that you made a difference in the life of a child."

It is so shameful that the difference you made was so poorly chosen. Anyone can make mistakes, but you blatantly ignored facts and scoffed at the young woman who pleaded with you to protect her son. Shame on you! If you must hate your job, try to take it out on someone other than the innocent children over whose lives (and deaths) you preside.

Other

Comment #: MD1605
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Appeared bored during custody hearing. Claimed to hate family court. His lack of interest in my grandson's case led to the baby dying at the hands of the sperm donor during the 4th unsupervised visit.

Other

Comment #: MD1599
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Judge Algeo ignored testimony about Child abuse, accepted obviously fake documents, and granted a child abuser unsupervised visitation with my toddler son. My son died as a result of Judge Algeos decision. It was only on the fourth unsupervised visitation with his father. Judge Algeo should resign.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1310
Rating:2.8

Comments:
One of those judges that got to Circuit because he had been in District too long.

He completely disregarded the opinions of the Master and the Coordinator in reaching a ruling not supported by the evidence. He took an irrelevant phrase from the recommendations and claimed it as the reason for his decision. He might as well have thrown a dart at the document for all the importance of that paragraph. He took into consideration extraneous evidence. He obviously has an inferiority-complex about opposing counsel and the witnesses. He was tickled pink that one of the witnesses was an important person and that completely clouded his judgment. He felt the need to belittle me while ruling against me. I would have been justified in retorting in kind.

He engenders no confidence about his ability to try any kind of case.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1307
Rating:9.4

Comments:
Judge Algeo conducted a good trial. he let the attorneys try their cases and he called the balls and strikes. He patiently heard all pretrial issues and provided sound reasons for his decisions. I have no complaint about his conduct of our trial.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1132
Rating:2.3

Comments:
He missed his true calling: used car salesman. As I am addressing him as "your honor," I am really thinking of the pudgy guy in the battered suitcase trying to sell you a lemon. You mean he's a judge? Really! Have standards gone that low?

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1105
Rating:2.7

Comments:
He should have been left in District Court. He will rule on an objection, but his explanation contradicts his ruling! The more complex a case is, the more lost he is. He's awful!

Other

Comment #: MD938
Rating:10.0

Comments:
Judge Algeo was straightforward, reasonable and fair. He did not abide excuses or attempts to blur the real issues by attorneys attempting to get away via loopholes and technicalities.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD829
Rating:8.8

Comments:
Very fair and evenhanded in conducting a criminal trial. Did not want to hear any extraneous information, and wanted to get right to the facts of the incident. Well liked by all the attorneys appearing before him in the case.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD820
Rating:3.8

Comments:
Appeared to favor one side, and client learned that had significant relationship with attorney for side that was favored (client googled the judge and opposing counsel's name). Not very familiar with governing family law in above guidelines modification of child support case.

Other

Comment #: MD418
Rating:10.0

Comments:
knowledgeable, patient, and fair. Be prepared and doesn't suffer fools well.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD329
Rating:4.5

Comments:
Judge Algeo did not do any research (read the cases cited by both sides) in an area of family law necessary to rule on a motion and as a result, ruled incorrectly. Judge Algeo has also appeared to the parties to have taken sides in an inappropriate manner causing a party (not counsel) to research and uncover a significant relationship between Judge Algeo and the counsel of the party whom he favored throughout the trial.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD165
Rating:9.3

Comments:
Judge Algeo was fair, courteous and no-nonsense in a two day custody trial. He considered the custody evaluation with all the other factors in making decision. Did not simply defer to evaluator.