Hon. Ronald B. Rubin See Rating Details
Associate Circuit Judge
Circuit Court
Montgomery County
6th Circuit
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Attorney Average Rating:   3.8 - 56 rating(s)
Non-Attorney Average Rating:   2.0 - 27 rating(s)
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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. Ronald B. Rubin


Comments


Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD9431
Rating:1.0
Comments:
The worst judge I've ever seen.
Stunningly arrogant and just plain vicious.
He retired early because he would have probably lost the election.
Should never be allowed to preside over a case.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD9019
Rating:1.0
Comments:
There are a lot of bad judges, and I've appeared before some of them. Rubin is the worst in my career as a lawyer. It isn't that Rubin is stupid. The problem is that Rubin thinks he's an expert on all things, and the less Rubin knows, the more likely Rubin will ignore evidence and established law to issue an inept decision.

This is not an exaggeration.

Other

Comment #: MD8921
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Judge Rubin is part of the Cartel AFCC working to give the Cartel Fathers full custody of our sons and daughters. What happened to my son was his Cartel leader father gave him Heroin and Fentalyn and then put him in child sex trafficking, child sex porn drug trafficking and a extremists group and my son was murdered by his father by an overdose of Heroin and Fentalyn and by this Judge who is handing our sons and daughters to the murderous Cartel fathers. Woman do not go to Court for any custody cases, take your children away from these Cartel fathers and hide them and yourself , so you and your children will be safe. I am living proof of this , my son is dead and the Cartel come after the mothers to kill the mothers as well. The Courts are killing woman and children, do not think they are their to protect you.

Other

Comment #: MD8911
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Contradicting and makes up rules as he goes. Completely disregards procedure and makes ruling based off his own feelings. Definitely a misogynist, probably narcissistic, and not a judge you'd want handling family law cases. Avoid!!!

Other

Comment #: MD8608
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Regarding the comment below, there’s a name for the “Cult” that most people have not heard of. It’s called the AFCC. It’s basically a criminal cartel that uses cult like indoctrination tactics. Just the fact that Maryland court clerks, judges. attorneys and “experts” are part of the same, mutually back scratching “profe$$ional organization” is problematic and creates ethical, conflict of interest issues. But corruption aside, they’re also getting abused children killed. The tragic cases are just the ones we know about. Many children suffer in silence after being punished for disclosing abuse by the very people entrusted to protect them. It’s shameful and unconscionable.

From Doreen Ludwig’s book, “AFCC Net”:

“The story of AFCC is a story of...

Money and power —how influence is established, grown, and maintained

Networks and networking —connections -overlap - infiltration

Cruelty —the human capacity to harm willy nilly without conscience or care.

Cover up and silence — of self protection over speaking up for the powerless

Profit at the expense of justice.

This is a book that all ethical attorneys should be reading. The predetermined decisions, prolonging of cases, decisions made based on relationships with certain law firms rather than facts and evidence, and fear of retaliation, extend beyond family courts.

Other

Comment #: MD8589
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
This Judge is misogynistic, narcissistic possibly involved with Cult members to make sure that our children especially our sons are given to the Cult fathers who are domestic abusers to women and children facing verbal, physical and sexual abuse to our children. This Judge, the lawyers, the court appointed child custody advocates, the court appointed child custody lawyers are all working within the Cult mentality regardless of what is the best end result for custody of our children which is protecting our children and awarding custody to mothers who can protect and teach our sons and daughters how to approach the world without the Cult mentality. These Cults, the mothers and fathers going through the custody battles through the Court System and support this Judge and others within the Court System are awarding custody to our domestic abusing fathers who are radicalizing our boys to the ideology of misogyny and participating in terrorist groups and develop hatred to women. They are brainwashing, love bombing and financially supporting our children to become part of the Cult. The whole Court System and this Judge needs to be removed from the bench and the whole Judicial System needs to be reevaluated to make sure our children are protected from fathers in the world who are in fact creating harm and hatred to our children. The end game for the fathers in these custody battles is not that they love our children, it is that they need to continue the Cult mentality with our children to degrade our society even more. Women, we need to stand together to make change and protect our children from this Cult mentality and fathers who do not have any intention in protecting our children and doing what is right for them in this world.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD8566
Rating:1.0
Comments:
The worst judge on the MoCo bench ever. Came to a decision based on an argument no one made or raised, the facts didn't fit his legal theory, and came off with a condescending attitude.

Litigant

Comment #: MD8506
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Want to violate rules of court - or any ethical rules- if you have this judge? Go ahead! He does not care one bit. He Generally speaking, he seems to favor men and won't make the other party pay if they blatantly disregard well established law to the detriment of the other parent. Further, he makes no attempt to read evidence, claiming, for example, "fonts are too small"...why is it MoCo cannot find decent family law judges?

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD8359
Rating:1.0
Comments:
A bully who has the wrong attitude for a judge.
How long before he retires?

Litigant

Comment #: MD8255
Rating:1.0
Comments:
This is the worst, most arrogant judge I've ever encountered. He demeaned me and called me "Homeland Security Muckety Muck" which can be read on my transcripts. This Judge took my custody away and made several false allegations against me. He seems to favor men and is in turn extremely sexist. He does not respect educated women and has extreme disdain for federal employees. He is biased and should not be on the bench. My case was overturned in the Court of Special Appeals. I'm so grateful to God to get my daughter back in my custody where she belongs. He nearly ruined my life. I hope he gets all of the shame he deserves with the overturning of my case!

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD8238
Rating:2.8
Comments:
He does not have the impartiality necessary to be a judge on the Circuit Court

Litigant

Comment #: MD8226
Rating:1.0
Comments:
This guy has to go. If you are the good guy and you see his name scheduled to hear your case, do everything you can to change him. Travesty of justice. We provided documented evidence. So he says go F yourself , patted the criminals on the back and kissed their liar attorney on the cheek. Smug and condescending.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD8144
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Rubin is unfit to be a judge. If he comes out with a correct decision it’s by accident.

Litigant

Comment #: MD8109
Rating:2.0
Comments:
Judge Rubin made a lot of mistakes. He applied blatantly inaccurate facts to arise at a conclusion and then made several mathematical errors in attempting to apply an alimony formula.

Other

Comment #: MD8000
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Judge Rubin is well know to anti-DV advocates as one of the more misogynistic judges in Moco. Every once in a while, he does the right thing, but what people need to pay attention to is the countless cases where he doesn't and instead, ignores the evidence and the laws to find in favor of the domestic abuser.

Other

Comment #: MD7992
Rating:10.0
Comments:
Judge Rubin is an educated Judge the only one in the court that goes by the law. And he is a no nonsense kind of judge. I wished I would have had Judge Rubin instead of Judge Dugan in the phony protective order my Ex took out on me. Rubin wouldn’t have tolerated lies. He shut down BRIAN Pearlstein. It was beautiful saw this Attorney for what he was. I like how Rubin sees through dishonest people. It was so refreshing. He is awesome.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD7799
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Retire Judge Rubin. You have no business on the bench. You defy 14th amendment due process in nearly every decision. No one I know trusts you as a judge.

Other

Comment #: MD7785
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Disappointing beyond belief! Are there no judges who even attempt to follow the letter of the law, when clearly applicable? Why do some judges, such as this one, work toward equating a court result's with that of a Las Vegas trip? Where is JUSTICE? Why are these judges afraid of applying the law and not overlooking, thereby promoting and condoning some litigants and counsel's flagrant disregard of the process? With judges like him, why bother???

Other

Comment #: MD7595
Rating:1.0
Comments:
This judge fails to incorporate logic and common sense with his legal rulings. Then again, this judge has a biased view and that's his law. I pity the defendant that has his case assigned to his man!

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD7592
Rating:1.0
Comments:
I really wish 0 was an option. Among the very worst in Judges. Incredible bias towards the state in criminal matters and strongly favors friends in civil matters. Complete inability to be fair and knows almost nothing of the law.

Litigant

Comment #: MD7445
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Judge Rubin ignored every shred of testimony in this case, expect for that which supported his biased opinion. His motion for dismissal was shockingly unprofessional and appalling in the number of factual inaccuracies that were stated as "reasons" for his ruling. The job of the court system is to protect the rights of the children. In this case those were completely cast aside as he ruled for the father, a wealthy professional with a history of child abandonment who did not want to pay extraordinary medical expenses. Judge Rubin stated that the mother had unequivocally proved a change in circumstance, but he just didn't think it was fair to make the father pay for anything. He also stated at the beginning of the trial that his own children were patients of the defendant. He claimed not to be influenced by his fact but his ruling proved otherwise. If you look through the comments below, Judge Rubin has a history of misogyny and his rulings support this. He was dismissive, rude, and most importantly, ignored the law. My own attorney has worked in Montgomery County for 30 years and stated she'd never seen such a travesty of justice and disregard not only for the law, but the children involved in the case.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD7244
Rating:1.0
Comments:
I try cases all over the state and he's the worst jud I've ever seen.
Abusive, mean, arrogant and wrong.
Not much else to say.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD7125
Rating:1.0
Comments:
This man's arrogance is surpassed only by his ignorance and matched by his bullying behavior. He should be removed from the bench. He is abusive, demeaning, and lacks the tempermant to wear the robe

Other

Comment #: MD6940
Rating:1.0
Comments:
There are three entries that contain the phrase "in front of Judge Rubin." Oddly enough, all three provide 9.5-10 stars. "I have appeared before" is also in two separate posts, and both give high praise. Usage of the word "brilliant" is excessive given I haven't found another judge in MD so described.

Just remarking.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD6931
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Probably the most arrogant judge I've ever been in front of. He thinks he's the smartest man in the room, which wouldn't be so bad if he weren't actually so clueless.
He needs a refesher course on the rules if evidence. Better yet, he needs to retire.
Absolutely has the wrong temperament to be a judge.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD6753
Rating:5.8
Comments:
Runs a tight ship. Likes to spout rules and citations (even when not on point), and expects the same of lawyers - have your statute and rule books handy. Can become hyper focused on factual details and points of law that are interesting but not material. Clearly has a love of the law.

Other

Comment #: MD6683
Rating:1.0
Comments:
I have read each comment that was posted. I had been present for court cases that were ruled on by Judge Rubin. Each case has been eerily similar to what numerous others reported. I have experienced that same shock that many others have expressed over the outrageous, biased, and unprofessional behavior that is consistent for Judge Rubin and allows children to remain at risk of continued abuse. Nothing shocked me more than the way that Judge Rubin berated a mother for reporting child abuse to Child Protective services- a mother who had previously been granted Final Protection orders to keep the father from harming, threatening, and abusing the mother. The Rockville PD submitted photos of the child abuse as evidence that were taken at the scene that showed the child's injuries which included swelling and bruising.
Judge Rubin threatened the mother from reporting further abuse.
I am outraged at Judge Rubin's comments and the court ruling which is similar to so many other reports listed below.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD6657
Rating:1.0
Comments:
This judge ignored all evidence and made a ruling based on an issue of law not raised by either party and not supported by an iota of evidence. Horrible human being and a worse judge. The 10 star reviews are obviously fakes. Three 10 star reviews in a row posted within six weeks of each other. I'm skeptical.

Other

Comment #: MD6626
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Unfit to wear honorable robes of ANY courtroom! I have carefully read all 71 comments posted. I am quite sure that of the very few positive ratings, most were suspiciously similar. I would bet that Rubin wrote them himself and/or had others! How can these few be so opposite what others have written?! My own observations of Dugan showed that just like MOST complaints posted, he pre-judges his cases. He literally stated in the opening proceedings of a protective order case (involving children!) that he had his decision! He had the arrogance to do so because both parties were not legally represented! The plaintiff (mother with full custody) appeared without counsel because hearing was 10 days after filing. Her attorney had personal issue and was out of country. She asked for postponement, Dugan inappropriately lit into her. She proceeded. Child Protective Services report substantiated claims made in PO filing yet Rubin ignored them stating "children's words are not to be taken at face value"! The injuries the children had were "believed" by Rubin to have occurred while under care of father, however Rubin stated that there was no proof father did it! Even though children stated such! Rubin unfairly berated the mother stating injuries weren't serious enough so CPS shouldn't have been involved. Really?! He even warned mother to not call them again. Can a judge do that?! He is a monster. He has no place in a family courtroom when lives are literally at stake! How are these awful people with obvious personal baggage allowed to sit on the bench?!

Other

Comment #: MD6608
Rating:1.0
Comments:
I had the misfortune to sit in this judges room while he held court. He is by far the most pathetic judge I have ever run across in my 30 some years. He is arrogant, rude, disrespectful, and dismissive of almost every female he comes in contact with. He cuts them off while they are speaking, he does not pay attention while they are giving testimony and when he gets fed up he storms out on the pretense of taking a break. this is the type of judge that will not stop his arrogant and malicious behavior until something dreadful happens to one of the children and or spouses he rules against. he should not be allowed to rule on any cases let alone family court. He needs to be removed and/or voted out next election. Time to start a movement and contact the press.

Litigant

Comment #: MD6604
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
He clearly does not take the facts into account. He makes biased rulings based on his mood rather than fact. He's sure to make many more ridiculpus rulings and if he doesn't clean up his act, MoCo is looking at yet another tragedy at the hands of a reckless judge not doing his job.

Other

Comment #: MD6574
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Unbelievably arrogant and rude. That's clear to all, but what is shocking and must be stopped is his reckless endangerment of innocent lives because of his own personal ossies. He ignores extremely relevant facts on whim even when the danger was extremely obvious. His ruling made no sense whatsoever and he discarded key facts that made his decision ethically reprehensible. There was an audible gasp in the courtroom. Given the reputation Montgomery County has for children's deaths due to reckless decisions made by judges like Rubin, he (and others) should be banned from even hearing abuse cases. How many more children have to die before mysoginistic and "father's rights" judges are allowed to destroy lives of innocent children. The County needs to wake up and remove him before any more lives are lost/destroyed and they get any more bad press. I think the article "Why Does Montgomery County Hate Women?" summed it up quite well. An absolute disgrace.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD6523
Rating:1.0
Comments:
This man should not be a judge. He does not read anything or learn the law, then he acts like a pompous, arrogant individual toward the attorneys. He lectures attorneys as if he is God's gift to the legal world. Extremely un-judge like demeanor, treating those in the courtroom, particularly lawyers and parties he seems to not "like", very very poorly. Makes rulings without having read the legal briefs, yet he thinks he is very clever. Arrogant beyond belief, and truly rude and condescending to all. Terrible judge.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD6521
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Rubin is the sort of judge who knows the right answer every time after only a few minutes studying a case. The facts he relies upon may not be real, but for the facts he relies upon, he can apply the law very, very well. It may not be the right law tho

Other

Comment #: MD6512
Rating:1.0
Comments:
I found Judge Rubin's temperament to be poor and specifically directed against specific parties in a prejudicial way. His targeted grunting, sighing, and temper tantrums are concerning. I have noticed a correlation between his rulings against women, specifically with cases where a female party had experienced any abuse or violence. I have been observing family law cases. however, this was not the situation of the other judges and magistrates in Montgomery County during the other cases I observed. Other judges and magistrates seemed to objectively hear the case without trying to actively change the outcome by their interference and behaviors during testimony. I credit and respect the other honorable judges and regret that my comments may reflect unfairly on them. As a resident of Montgomery county for decades, I know many people who live in Gaithersburg and therefore, I am aware of the discussions about Judge Rubin's personal situation and his personal bias against women and children who have been injured from domestic violence. I fail to see how he could possibly be considered objective in these matters. I have learned that the state of Maryland was the last state in the country to approve legislation for domestic violence laws (in October 2014, I believe). I am surprised that 49 other states did more to protect women than our great state of Maryland- and Montgomery County will high standards of living and well- educated population should certainly be doing more to protect our women and children. I have been present when counselors advised women were certain to be ruled against by some judges in Montgomery County if they were to admit to having been abused. These women are certain to receive an unfair trial if they come up against Rubin. I hope that some measures can be taken to ensure a fair trial for all of Montgomery Countries residents under Judge Rubin. Rubin is shrewd enough to craft the trial in a way to cover his own bias and protect his rulings. One would need to observe a trail to see the grunting and disrespect to really understand.

Other

Comment #: MD6500
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Judicial bias is the best way I can describe the Family law cases I observed with Judge Rubin.
I had the very unusual and shocking experience of observing several trials in which Rubin was the Judge. It was extremely evident that the ruling has been decided even before either party entered the courtroom.
In one case, it was apparent that Rubin was determined to rule against a woman who had experienced domestic violence; he ensured everything possible was done to ensure he could justify his pre-determined ruling. He did not apply fact to law, although he cited many cases; however these were not relevant to the case before him.
I observed the bizarre behavior described. My observations are exactly in line with the many negative comments I read below, especially #5594 and #5842. I was shocked and appalled to that Judge Rubin was so visibly rude to one attorney and her client. He grunted during the defendants testimony and rocked in his chair in such an disturbing manner I can only say it reminded me of the repetitive rocking of someone profoundly suffering from PTSD. He threw his head back wildly when he was unhappy with testimony. His behavior alone was enough to ensure that one side was not given a fair chance to present their case, because the judge himself was the distraction. The shocking and biased behavior of Judge Rubin was enough to distract during testimony and influence the outcome. Rubin spoke over the female attorney whenever she tried to object, so that the objections could not be heard.
I noticed that there are 64 ratings listed for Rubin, which was the 3rd highest in the state and many of these describe behavior that would be considered unacceptable in any career.
I felt Judge Rubin's decision did not follow the law. There was no reasonable person who would have come to his conclusion. Furthermore, his actions may have endangered a woman and her children.
I see one reference to direct someone to contact his Superior in Montgomery County Circuit Court, Judge John W. Debelius. I know Judge Debelius is at least somewhat aware of an attorney who made an attempt to informally bring this information of judicial bias. I am not in a position to do this, but my hopes are that someone who has the resources to carry this out will go forward and contact Judge Debelius. No further cases should be assigned to Rubin.

Other

Comment #: MD6485
Rating:10.0
Comments:
For the past 6 years I have been in front of different judges and magistrates regarding my custody battle, and by far judge Rubin is the best of them all. He is a brilliant judge who knows the law better than any other judges that I have seen. He is very attentive, listens carefully to both parties and HATES lies and knows exactly when
some does lie. My son was too small to take the stand and testify but judge Rubin gave the best verdict that a mother could hope for. Thank you judge Rubin and god bless you

Other

Comment #: MD6278
Rating:1.0
Comments:
If I had to rate Judge Rubin on a different scale, I would definitely rate him well below (0) zero. He is extremely Arrogant, Pompous, Narcissistic, etc. It's really a shame that we have sitting Judges like this in Montgomery County, MD.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD6162
Rating:9.5
Comments:
I have been in practice for 39 years. Judge Rubin is my favorite judge. Even when losing a motion or trial in his courtroom I know I have had the benefit of a judge who listens well, researches questions, has an open mind and has no patients for deceptive witnesses. He is always prepared and takes great pains to learn and understand complex issues and multi-tiered arguments. His court moves along without unnecessary delays, and he is flexible enough to respond to unexpected issues that may arise. In my opinion, he is the most prepared and best judge in the county.

Other

Comment #: MD6045
Rating:10.0
Comments:
After a four year divorce battle in front of a half dozen different magistrates and judges, I'd say judge Rubin is by far the best I've seen. In court he's very quiet and sometimes even appears not to be paying attention, but don't be fooled, he very much is. He deals with motions very quickly often citing very specific case law off the top of his head and in several arguments I've seen between him and lawyers regarding specific legal issues, he's always been several steps ahead of the lawyers.

I found him to be extremely thorough and provides clear results (even when some of those results were not in my favor).

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD6032
Rating:10.0
Comments:
The Honorable Judge Rubin exhibited fairness and thoroughness in my Civil case. His focus on the best interests of my children, who had previously had no voice or validation for what they had endured, was most appreciated. He applied the Law, giving credence to my children's emotional needs. He appeared very knowledgable about the nature of addiction as it pertains to children forced to live with an alcoholic mother. Needless to say, the mother was angry that her story wasn't crwdible and the Judge saw the truth. I'm happy that my kids and I were heard and validated within the Circuit Court.

Other

Comment #: MD5843
Rating:1.0
Comments:
If there was a ZERO rating, his average would be more accurate. Count the effect of the few very high marks on the many, many very low ones. I haven't done it lately, but it's staggering evidence that this man should not be a judge.

Other

Comment #: MD5842
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Judge Rubin should not be a judge. In our case he ignored the motion before him, was rude to our attorney who is very intelligent, he ignored the law, harmed the children and their mother with his decision, and had decided the case before hearing the evidence. Even the opposing attorney and his clients seemed shocked by his ruling.
In reading through the comments and ratings for this judge there were many 1-2 ratings describing bizarre behavior and a few 8-9s that sounded like a different person was posing as the judge. His cases need to be reviewed to see if his rude bullying behavior is saved for women attorneys and women clients as in our case and to see if he correctly applies the law in all cases and is he fair. Everyone suggests Judge Rubin has a temperament problem but making faces at those he is ruling against, interupting and talking over people, bouncing around in his chair, bullying some and hurting folks that deserve fairness sounds like he needs a psych eval. Montgomery County residents deserve better.

Prosecutor

Comment #: MD5702
Rating:2.3
Comments:
This judge is clearly biased, favors the prosecution (allows them 45 minutes to speak and defense attys 5 minutes), does not follow the law, makes his mind up before even hearing the evidence. Is rude, inconsiderate. Justice is not served in his court from the experience I have.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD5594
Rating:1.3
Comments:
Biased depending on the subject matter before him. lets his personal life influence his view of the parties. uneducated on the psychology of abused spouses and its effects on the law of domestic violence. Temperament is extremely poor and disappointing. Clients have their right to their day in court and their time should be respected as much as the judges. covering his face, leaning and rocking back and forth in his chair, sighing and grunting is not conducive of a good jurist. Cutting the attorneys scheduled trial time because he had other things planned again very unprofessional. His biased rulings could very well endanger the lives of the parties in question or their children. the law as it applies to people cannot be looked at with tunnel vision, it is multifaceted and should be treated with the attention it deserves.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD5294
Rating:2.0
Comments:
Temperament extremely poor. Biased depending on litigants and attorneys before him. Rides on purported scholarship, even if not aplicable to the case-and uses it to demean attorneys apparently biased against. A great disappointment as a judge, notwithstanding his early promise (years ago).

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD4732
Rating:6.8
Comments:
Seems more interested in inserting his own scholarship than actually addressing the issues briefed and argued.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD4642
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Three words for this man: "Worst judge ever." I have no doubt the misery he's caused to untold hundreds of litigants though his actions.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD4493
Rating:2.3
Comments:
I initially thought all the complaints about Judge Rubin were not justified -- until I appeared before him recently. I learned a few things: 1) He is not as smart as he thinks he is; 2) He is not nearly as smart as I thought he was; 3) He is rude; 4) He is arrogant; 5) he is mean to the litigants and counsel. I am very surprised that Judicial Disabilities has not caught up with him. Our circuit court can do better and it's a shame that we have to deal with the Judge Rubin's of the world.

Other

Comment #: MD4399
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Judge Rubin's reputation as scholar of the law is overshadowed by his lack of understanding the facts. In my case he failed to allow critical information about the plaintiff's extensive criminal past to be presented in the courts. Yet from the learned judge I was the least credible and I have never been in trouble with the law. His incorrect statement about tax issues and investments had a major negative baring to my case. His verdict has resulted in me losing my career and my financial independence. Now I am dependent upon others after having a productive career for the past twenty years. The habitual criminal gets away with a lucrative judgment with the help of this biased judge. He has ruined my life and countless others due to his inaccurate assessments of legal matters. My conscious is clear and I know I told the truth. Thanks Judge for not being more objective in looking at the facts.

Other

Comment #: MD4030
Rating:1.0
Comments:
The issue at hand was with regard to the well being of a child and the entire focus of the opposing party was about the personal relationship or lack there of. This Judge became irritated after the first case was heard when one of the parties was expressing the utmost frustration with their situation. Once my case was called his frustrations from the previous case were taken on my attorney and myself. He was not interested in the concerns for the child rather the relationship between myself and the opposing party. Never was I given the opportunity to explain the opposing parties history of being a convicted drug dealer in addition to violent/ malicious behaviors. So the child continues to be exposed to violent criminals. This Judge has a problem with his enormous ego and not focusing on the pertinent issues that should be allowed to be heard. i guess he doesn't care if he's the next Judge Algeo.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD3866
Rating:1.3
Comments:
Judge Rubin was visibly annoyed at a deposition running into his lunch. He was crumpling papers, sliding around in his chair, and making odds stix sighs. It reminded me of a small child throwing a tantrum and took attention away from the case. He misapplied the law, disregarded proper jury instructions and then got irate with me for asking for a correction, and generally went out of his way to make sure the jury got a sense of his partiality. I found him to be the worst trial judge I have been in front of. Very pompous.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD3754
Rating:3.1
Comments:
I've been before Judge Rubin numerous times. It is obvious that Judge Rubin does not weigh the facts and apply the law to reach a decision. Instead, he first makes a decision and then misinterpets the facts and misconstrues the law to support his position.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD3445
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Agree with unfavorable comments. This judge is biased towards litigants and not intelligent enough to be a judge. He is narcissistic and condescending to attorneys. Some of his smug comments where he ridiculously misstates the law would be laughable if parties before him were not being improperly damaged by his grossly erroneous rulings.

Other

Comment #: MD3129
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Guy - I assure you that, like most people commenting here, I am no fan of Rubin. I consider his appointment an impeachable offense. With that in mind, be civil. Your profanity only serves to discount legit complaints

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD2416
Rating:1.0
Comments:
As a previous poster stated: "As a result, he often appears to have already decided which way he is going, and that is not always a bad thing. He lets both sides make their arguments, but if you are on the "losing" side of the argument, however, he can be very hard and unwilling to concede anything back to you. That reflects the fact that he has already considered the legal points you raised and simply disagrees with that position."

I call rubbish! Judge Rubin tends to, for his favored party, cite law and legal theory that no party had briefed, usually for good reason. Rubin refused to allow me to present evidence or even an opportunity to argue his sua sponte nonsense theories. His holding was based on a theory no one briefed or argued. Mis-cited law and facts be damned. In a subsequent litigation, five opposing attorneys and four judges (three appellate), who reviewed his holding, could find no merit in his decision and could not argue against his violations of due process. Want to challenge me? Send an email and I'll prove it. I especially make this offer to Judge Rubin in the vague hope that he will change his ways.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD2364
Rating:8.8
Comments:
I have appeared before Judge Rubin in several civil litigation cases, including a fraud claim and a shareholder's dispute, as well as criminal matters. He reads and researches EVERYTHING in the case file and is the most prepared judge I have ever appeared before as far as knowing what is going on in the case. At motions hearings, he knows both sides' arguments and case law they cited, and has clearly made the extra effort to follow through on his own research based upon the law cited by the lawyers. As a result, he often appears to have already decided which way he is going, and that is not always a bad thing. He lets both sides make their arguments, but if you are on the "losing" side of the argument, however, he can be very hard and unwilling to concede anything back to you. That reflects the fact that he has already considered the legal points you raised and simply disagrees with that position. I have not had the experience of being on the losing side of a civil case with him, and his decisions have been spot on with my legal arguments, so maybe I am biased: I think the right side won, and for the right reasons. I cannot say that about many judges I have appeared before when the law is being argued. I agree he can have a better temperament and patience with a party with whose position he disagrees. He is not afraid to apply the law to the facts, and will not "split the baby" just to make everyone happy (which too many judges do). He is known to be pro-prosecution in criminal matters, sentencing, bail, etc., so if you have a criminal defendant to represent, be forewarned.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD2353
Rating:3.0
Comments:
Please Judge Rubin if you're reading these comments, I implore you to improve your demeanor, and to quit it with the prejudging. You don't lack intelligence, just good judgment.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD2290
Rating:9.4
Comments:
He is a brilliant jurist. He understands the law better than any other judge that I've appeared in front of in thirty-five years. He ruled against me on some matters, and for me on others. He has reasons for his decisions that are based on cases, and he understands the litigation. He is a terrific judge.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD2258
Rating:1.2
Comments:
Judge Rubin is a terrible judge, because he immediately makes up his mind to support one side or the other in a case -- either without learning the facts and law first, or worse, despite the facts and law placed before him. He then advocates for the party he is siding with, attempting to help them make a case, and disfavors the other side, making it almost impossible for them to get fair consideration or even to litigate the case. He also appears to side with attorneys that he favors (and/or local attorneys), instead of addressing the facts and law. He is also impatient, gruff, and lacks any judicial temperament. In fact, he was pretty much a bully in our case. He fails to issue written decisions with regard to dispositive motions or issues, but instead issues oral decisions, so that his failure to address the actual facts and law are not on paper (unless a transcript is requested). In our case, Judge Rubin ruled in favor of a party despite the clear law and facts (or at the very least there was a dispute as to the facts that required a trial), simply because he favored that party. He is a terrible judge.

Other

Comment #: MD2197
Rating:9.0
Comments:
From reading the postings and ratings on this site that reference Judge Ronald Rubin, our hopes were, to say the least, rather stifled. However, we hoped and prayed that this judge would be very attentive, and have clarity and wise discernment and judgement over our D.V. case in the courtroom.....and he was exactly that. He listened to (and questioned extensively) very carefully and fairly both parties and their witnesses, as well as each representative counsel, and was unafraid to challenge speculations and hearsay. He made his ruling on the basis of (and/or lack of) actual evidential facts. Although this case was dismissed based on several criteria (including lack of factual evidence and the credibility of the plaintiff), this case remains in the Family Divorce Court. We hope the judge assigned to this case will have the same clarity and wisdom, and ability to discern truth as Judge Rubin did in the D.V. case. Although he is a judge without an 'animated' personality and, at times, 'appeared distracted,' he proved clearly that he did not miss a single detail in court. We found that Judge Rubin's courtroom demeanor and judging abilities rated much higher (in our trial) than how he has been, for the most part, depicted on this website.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD2166
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Judge Rubin is both unpredictable and thorough! We went in to our case today thinking that it would be open or closed. We had no idea of the depths our case could go to. Judge Rubin was intrigued with the case and the information. He wanted to know more. The statute of limitations, we thought, was a huge brick wall for us. but Judge Rubin wants more info. He didn't dismiss the case, which gives us one more step toward what we want to accomplish.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1902
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
I agree with comment number 1900 below. It is a pleasure to have a judge on the bench with great intellect and who reads every word of every motion. He almost always gets it right. He does not suffer fools lightly and would move from being a really good judge to a great judge if he could hold his temper in check and be more tolerant of the less intellectually gifted.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1900
Rating:7.9
Comments:
While I don't condone his extreme lack of patience, he is a very, very smart judge who picks up on the smallest point and knows the law or will look at any law offered. He doesn't suffer fools well, but I found him to display some extreme patience at times. He may prejudge, but that is the attorney's job - to convince him that his prejudgment is incorrect.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1865
Rating:1.0
Comments:
My own experience with this judge has always been problematic. The Rubin war stories I hear from fellow attorneys who've litigated almost anything before him is always negative. I always opt for for a jury trial when possible in the off-chance I will get Rubin, McGann or one of 2-3 other judges. It's always better to put your faith in the wisdom of a jury than a judge, but it is true wisdom to avoid Rubin under any circumstances. Some here have complimented Rubin on his legal scholarly legal knowledge. What an amazing assortment of comments on this page. I decline to compliment Rubin on his legal knowledge, which I find hit or miss, because he is completely unable to apply fact to law, and because he pre-judges cases and often shows obvious bias by interjecting commentary during trial before a jury.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1786
Rating:9.8
Comments:
Very smart Judge. His ruling are well thought out and he leaves little room for appeal.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1785
Rating:5.4
Comments:
Judge Rubin is exceptionally bright and scholarly, but arrogant to a fault and boorish. He is a bench bully. His ears are closed except to the ruminations in his own head. He is combative, disrespectful, and will talk over counsel. He inappropriately commented on issues within my complex fact and law case that were not before him, which tilted the balance of the case and settlement prospects to the other side. He smiles because he has so much fun on the bench showing his audience how smart he is. He wants counsel to grovel before him.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1673
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Some of you have suggested filing complaints about Rubin with the board of professional responsibilities and with the Honorable Robert M. Bell, the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals. These are good suggestions. However, a letter to the Honorable John W. Debelius III requesting that Rubin receive no further case assignments until an investigation and assessment of his judicial performance to date be undertaken and completed might be a better option and one with quicker results beneficial to the citizens of Maryland and Montgomery County. In his position as Administrative Judge for the Sixth Circuit of Maryland, Judge Debelius is responsible for case assignments in the Montgomery County Circuit Court and, implicit in his responsibility in this regard, is an obligation to assign cases only to qualified judges. I trust that, if any of us decide to write Judge Debelius to express our concerns about Rubin’s qualifications as a judge, he will maintain the confidentiality of our communication provided, of course, we ask him to do so.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1665
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Last time I was before Rubin I was not disappointed. Arrogant, condescending, and devised a theory of law no one could follow, and didn't give me an opportunity to challenge his nonsense. The appeal is a certainly to win, but I am tired of the unnecessary expense a Rubin trial poses. The only reason Rubin scores above McGann is because Rubin comes on this site and pumps his own numbers. NO ONE I know respects him as a jurist, and for good reason. Unfortunately, the powers that be at Crownsville are reluctant for some reason to boot this guy. This board needs a zero rating, because I don't think Rubin deserves a "1"

Other

Comment #: MD1522
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Made a summary judgement when there was a clear question of fact. Actually stated that the plaintiff was either crazy or a lier. The plaintiff had two depositions. In the first one the plaintiff said "I don't know" to a lot of questions; the plaintiff wrote down all the questions they didn't know the answer to. In the second deposition, the plaintiff was able to answer the questions. Rubin unanimously stated that this purported inconsistency made the plaintiff "crazy or a lier." This was an unfair ruling in summary judgement because there should never be a ruling on credibility - as it is in and of itself a question of fact. It appears that he just wanted to get rid of a case instead of considering that his role is to evaluate the facts, use the MD rules and make a fair ruling.

Other

Comment #: MD1521
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
To comment MD1517, I respectfully say stupid is as stupid does. No, he isn't as dim as many other judges. However, he lacks a judge's temperament. He prejudges cases and choreographs from the bench.. His sense of superiority doesn't allow him to tolerate being corrected when he makes a mistake of law, which is often. Maybe one day he will improve. I doubt that will happen as he's shown no improvement to date.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD1517
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
the fact that 57 people have seen fit to post reviews on this judge speaks for itself. He is a bright man. Unfortunately he needs to be the brightest man in the room. If he could just realize that his job is to serve the public and that a little patience and forebearance (even of fools)is a big part of that, we would all be better off. I think he is capable of change and can become one of the best.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1474
Rating:1.0
Comments:
He lacks real world experience. Not in touch w reality and human experience. No doubt he can brief and be an academic but that's for the appellate courts. He's not a good trial judge for the regular citizen. Maybe for the lawyer litigants who can speak his language. He's not a true trial judge as he can't hear people and decide. He decides on pleadings in his office and then sits on the bench and pretends. Ask any law clerk.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1473
Rating:9.6
Comments:
I have appeared in front of Judge Rubin several times. I have won and I have lost. But in each case I found him extremely well prepared. He certainly has his views, but if you have an argument, he's willing to listen, until he's not. What he will not tolerate is stupid, including stupid arguments. He decides things, which is what you want in a judge. I have to take the negative comments with a grain of salt. They look like losing litigants and their clients all writing something on the same day.

Litigant

Comment #: MD1429
Rating:1.0
Comments:
I will just say as a private litigant that the naysayers are correct in my opinion. Apparently, he really does have an unfortunate penchant to misapply law, and in my case blew threw every semblance of procedural due process. I am an attorney, but not a Maryland attorney, so I know a bit about what I speak.

My divorce attorney (a good guy) called his affliction "robe-itis"

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1426
Rating:9.8
Comments:
Recently completed a civil jury trial before J. Rubin. We lost the trial, but we had no complaints about how the trial was handled by the court. Most importantly, even though the verdict went the other way, our client affirmatively commented that he felt he received a fair trial from the judge. J. Rubin let both sides "try their case" and patiently and thoughtfully considered arguments and requested voir dire and instructions. He did not rule entirely for either side during the trial. Rather, as should be expected, he appeared to decide the issue/objection/motion/instruction on the merits.

Other

Comment #: MD1414
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Rule 8.2(a) A lawyer shall not make a statement that the lawyer knows to be false ...

Pull a handful of CDs from any given day, and every critical post of the Honorable Judge Ronald Rubin can probably be verified.

Comment MD1406, appear before him once or twice, then see if you still have the same opinion

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1413
Rating:1.1
Comments:
Judge would be a good law clerk for a federal justice. Good with memorizing case law and writing briefs or opinion like a law clerk. However a complete terror as a judge. Guy can't even fake being impartial. Advice: when he comes on the bench and looks at you with contempt and smiles at the other party - get out of there!

Other

Comment #: MD1406
Rating:8.0
Comments:
Never appeared before him but I just read a long opinion of his on a corporate law matter and it was thoughtful, well reasoned, comprehensive and cogent -- and came to the right result in a case in which neither I nor a client had an interest.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD1404
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Comment #1402, I just read the Yagman decision. Nowhere would comments like that of # 1393 be sanctionable.

Other

Comment #: MD1402
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Anon, I don't know J. Rubin or the other Mont. Co. judges in your 8/10 and 8/11 postings. If you are an atty, don't asumme they are protected speech. See Yagman, 55 F3d 1430.

Other

Comment #: MD1400
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Last poster, Your remarks probably violate MRPC 8.2(a), and may expose you to a suspension. See, Bd. of Prof'l Responsibility v. Davidson, 205 P.3d 1008 (2009); In re Riley, 691 P.2d 695 (1984). See also, In re Madison, 282 S.W.3d 350 (Mo., 2009); Anthony v. Va. State Bar , 270 Va. 601 (2005); In re Nathan, 671 N.W.2d 578 (Minn., 2003); Miss. Bar v. Lumumba, 912 So. 2d 871 (2005).

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1383
Rating:4.6
Comments:
As one poster put it - Rubin should never have been appointed. He is too amazed with his own brilliance, and he thinks the rules of procedure, evidence and so on are for other people less brilliant.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1364
Rating:9.8
Comments:
Judge Rubin is one of the brightest judges on the bench. He is well prepared and thoughtful. He could work on his temperment a bit, I agree. He has no patience for lawyers who are unprepared or who make dumb arguments in court. That, however, is not unreasonable reaction in my opinion.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1276
Rating:3.6
Comments:
I have been generally very disappointed in my experiences with Judge Rubin (and there have been many). I find his decisions to be impulsive. He has appeared to personally dislike one of my clients and one of my opponents and tailored the case so that the more likeable party won in front of a jury. He also takes leaps to rule that material facts are not in dispute. If clients were more willing to face the backlog of the Court of Special Appeals, I believe he would be frequently overturned.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1274
Rating:1.6
Comments:
Massively insecure. Mood swings. Petulant. Unreasonable. Capricious. Biased. Often he will suddenly lose control and stomp off the bench for absolutely no reason. Prides himself on quoting cases - but gets them wrong. Prides himself on quoting the Rules - but gets them wrong.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD1266
Rating:1.1
Comments:
It all makes sense now. Once he's decided who will win before trial, he will rig the trial that way, including making the witnesses of the "already lost" side look like they have a credibility issue. He mocks them during their testimony. On the cold record no one can tell that he's already decided and he gets all the judicial deference for being "able" to observe the credibility of a witness. Wow, he's smart in a con like manner. Truly a disgrace to the bench. Will have to avoid him at all costs in the future.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1236
Rating:2.5
Comments:
I have tried cases to judgment before Judge Rubin and have won and lost. Even winning before Judge Rubin does not feel good because you know the process was flawed and unfair.

Judge Rubin lacks judicial temperament and good judgment. He can be pleasant, fair and reasonable, but his personality and lack of judgment often prevent this. He is certainly bright enough to be a judge, but his efforts to prove how smart he is lead him to do stupid things. He definitely prejudges cases and then manipulates trials to try to make them turn out the way he wants. Some of his conduct is childish, such as smiling and nodding when the favored side is testifying and frowning and grimacing when the disfavored side is testifying. Other conduct is more insidious. Every decision "within the sound discretion of the court" will go against the disfavored party. He will sua sponte make objections and even suggest motions for the favored party, which he then grants. He will make a snap ruling on a difficult legal question and then refuse to back down even after he realizes he ruled incorrectly.

Based upon discussions with other lawyers, Judge Rubin does not seem to hold grudges against either lawyers or parties. He can be completely unfair to you in one case and completely unfair to your opponent in the next. The constant is that he will be unfair to someone -- you just do not know who in advance.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1223
Rating:1.4
Comments:
Someone mentioned in here his "I handled complex litigation" speech. The Court of Special Appeals just gratuitously cited that speech when reversing him in Viallouros v. Tolson this week.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1073
Rating:2.8
Comments:
A horrible judge. The most biased judge I have ever encountered. He often quotes caselaw - but many times he is wrong. I had a trial with him and three times he quoted a case for the wrong legal proposition. When I called him on it things did not go well for me or my client. But I could not resist particularly since one of the cases he was incorrectly quoting was MY CASE from many years ago.

He is so bad a group of three other judges reversed him in a case. That is unheard of in legal circles.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1030
Rating:1.1
Comments:
This guy is so pretentious that he wants to appear as if he's a walking law library. But be careful - his citations are not very accurate. He likes to rattle cases out to support the side he has determined to win (before trial) even though those caselaw may not be on point. He's a walking law student -- lacks wisdom and sound discretion that is the cornerstone of a good judge. He's bad judge all around. I also heard he's not allowed to hear domestic cases. Someone filed a complaint against him. A well known domestic attorney made it a point at a hearing that he was contacted and interviewed by the disabilities commission re Rubin.

Litigant

Comment #: MD1017
Rating:5.0
Comments:
This guy is the walking law library and can cite any caselaw off the top of his head. Dont try to pull any quick ones on him as he will put you in your place. For those attorneys that challenge him- and you are wrong- he will put you in your place. He calls it like he sees it.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD862
Rating:2.6
Comments:
Agree with other commenters that he is more interested in self promotion and proving how smart is (thinks he) is. Unfortunately, he lacks self awareness and his arrogance and middling intellect make it a dangerous combination. Not able to grasp complex concepts and invests heavily in his own impressions, so he cannot be swayed. not able to make tough decisions and often just denies all motions on the same day, same time, with one word orders. Finally, MOCO has a reputation for being a country club where judges lack objectivity and are biased. I unfortunately felt this was borne out; the rulings were so irrational and his mercurial no one ever knew what to expect. He's also the only judge in a long career that jurors seem to hate. I heard he has been hoping for a federal appointment, though that's proabably a rumor put out by him...god help us all if that comes to pass.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD837
Rating:5.7
Comments:
Judge Rubin lacks objectivity and/or is gullible. He awarded shared physical custody to a father, despite the fact that the father was unemployed, had no vehicle, had no access to public transportation to interview for jobs, was months behind on his rent, and his
home lacked hot water, heat, and a functioning gas stove. Judge Ruben believed that these "minor" problems could be solved by ordering the father to become employed and pay his gas bill and rent. Several months later, Fortunately, another judge awarded the mother full custody when the father failed to comply with Judge Ruben's wishful order.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD818
Rating:6.4
Comments:
Very bright and knows the law. Unfortunately, he is too focused on showing everyone how much he knows that he loses sight of the important issues he needs to decide. Very arrogant. Not a great judicial demeanor.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD678
Rating:9.6
Comments:
Judge Rubin was an excellent trial judge. He knew the facts of the case and understood the law. He was prepared and expects the same of the attorneys. I wish we had more like Judge Rubin on the bench.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD448
Rating:3.3
Comments:
Arrogant is the word. While some believe that he actually possesses some intellectual ability he is merely showing off his insecurity in his questioning and baiting of counsel. He decides the side he favors in advance then forces the trial that way.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD419
Rating:10.0
Comments:
Just completed a condemnation (eminent domain) trial in front of Judge Rubin. It was his first such trial as a judge and he had never handled such a case when in practice. The case had a very complicated valuation issue. Judge Rubin thoroughly researched the issue (beyond the briefs submitted by counsel)and fully disccussed the issue with the attorneys before making his ruling on the issue. He gave an excellent trial. He expects trial counsel to know the rules of evidence. He will let counsel try their own case (extensive voir dire, extensive jury instruction conference, may approach the witnesses, display exhibits to jurors, etc.). In short, his handling of the procedural and substantive issues involved in trial work was top-notch. His demeanor is good. And he is respectfull and relaxed with the jury. He is an excellent judge to be in front of if you are prepared and are able to discuss the issues substantively.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD286
Rating:5.5
Comments:
He has the intellect but not the temperament. It will behoove anyone appearing before him to be well prepared, as there is no doubt that he will be equally prepared as well. However, he has been known to take over a case and become an over-zealous advocate for whichever side he favors. Furthermore, he will simply shut down thoughtful consideration of an issue and lose all objectivity. The upshot is that your client will be left believing that there was simply no opportunity for a fair hearing.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD169
Rating:9.5
Comments:
I have tried a number of cases in front of Judge Rubin. He is intelligent; he is interested in applying the law to the facts and he does so well. He does have a "strong" personality but he can certainly be persuaded to reconsider his positions when presented with the facts and the law. Indeed, I have seen him change his mind upon reflection and I have to give him credit for that. When before Judge Rubin, it is extremely important to be prepared and to be able to back up your position and if you do so, you will receive a fair trial and know that Judge Rubin has taken it all into consideration in coming to his decision.