Hon. Laura E. Drager See Rating Details

Supreme Court
New York County
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Attorney Average Rating:   4.0 - 10 rating(s)
Non-Attorney Average Rating:   6.0 - 4 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)
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What others have said about Hon. Laura E. Drager


Comments


Other

Comment #: NY10974
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
terrible temperament, and messes up extremely simple facts in civil cases. Truly a horrible judge.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: NY9202
Rating:1.0
Comments:
A disgrace to the Bench. [Redacted by Ed.] Screamed at me and repeatedly made nonsequitorial sarcastic jabs in a divorce case. Refused an adjournment when both attorneys agreed on the need for one so the parties could continue out of court settlement talks without her interference. I appeared an informed her that my client had paid me to attempt to settle his case but had not agreed to retain me to appear in the case. I appeared at his request as a courtesy to request an adjournment. Judge Drager and her Law Secretary attempted to berate me for extending the courtesy. On a second adjourn date, I informed the judge that my client who had been repeatedly institutionalized was again unavailable. She again treated me with the highest level of disrespect making childlike, often incoherent jabs at every comment i made. Allowed the other side to make long speech without allowing any reply. On the third appearance she refused my request for a short adjournment in view of the fact that I had 2 deaths in my family and my client's hospitalization even though I brought his brother (the vice president of a major corporation) as a witness and both sides advised that we were close to a settlement. Instead she continued her incoherent personal attacks threatening to "default" him even though the other side agreed on the record to an adjournment. In my 30 years of practicing law which includes experience working for a judge for 8 years and service as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of New York, I have never seen or come across a less competent judge.

Court Staff

Comment #: NY8863
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Although my divorce was about 15 years ago, I will never forget how awful Judge Drager was. My ex-husband didn't bring my 7 year old son home for three days and he missed two days of school, Judge Drager said if I think it's so easy to bring my son home on time, I can go from New Jersey to Brooklyn to pick him up from now on! She was unfair, uncaring, intimidating and never put my child's interests above anything. Hopefully she is retired by now and not hurting anyone else!

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: NY8493
Rating:1.1
Comments:
Imho - A despicable human being

Yells and berates - lazy - elitist - overrules the agreement of both parents in favor of her own ideology

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: NY8379
Rating:1.3
Comments:
She is a mental case. The big law firm attorneys secretly called her "crazy" and "psycho". She doesn't know she shoot her own foot when she's screaming and yelling and cursing in her courtroom and it can shatter the windows of the whole building. It's ugly. Her terrifying demeanor shows lack of self control and knowledge of law. She is a shame of the judiciary branch of our government. She acts like she hates the world, no wonder the world doesn't like her much either. A petition is circulating online for her removal from the bench. There got to be better qualified legal professionals to take that job. A real shame! Now the shame is on all of us for tolerating a Judge like that.

Litigant

Comment #: NY8255
Rating:3.0
Comments:
While Judge Drager is clearly smarter than most judges.....she is angry, contemptuous of the tax paying public and proud. Reason is her enemy once she has made up her mind. She will not listen to arguments or read doucuments.

Litigant

Comment #: NY7499
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
I feel satisfied at conclusion of contested divorce in front of her, but I'm sure I'm biased as she found in my favor generally and seemed more inclined to me ("moneyed spouse" / working male) than my now ex-wife (non-working female)...that said, she seemed smart and insightful as to psychology....on the negative side, she did not resist raising her voice etc as others have noted

Other

Comment #: NY7134
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Judge Drager is always angry, this is nothing new. She uses her power & authority to bully the public; that's nothing new. The real question is, "Why isn't the Judicial Courts reacting to the publics benefit"? We could do better!

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: NY7114
Rating:2.5
Comments:
Drager is a terror without forethought. The queen of spades on Meth. She was overturned on appeal, 5/0 in my matrimonial case. Raoul Felder after appearing before her then walked past my atty at the time and said," You should get combat pay to appear before her"

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: NY6539
Rating:9.9
Comments:
Justice Drager is a wonderful, smart and sophisticated judge in the matrimonial part. She applies the law, and has a sophisticated ability to analyze complex issues. Whether I have prevailed or not before Judge Drager, I have always felt she made the correct decision by applying the law fairly and listening to the evidence critically. Judge Drager does run a strict courtroom, but she is always fair and even-handed.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: NY6324
Rating:9.9
Comments:
Terrific judge. She is smart and fair. Does not allow litigants to run the courtroom but always makes the legally correct decision - whether you are on the right or wrong side.

Other

Comment #: NY6136
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Please add comments to this petition.

Please add your comments to this petition. The comments seemed to have disappeared.

Litigant

Comment #: NY5160
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
I am in the middle of my divorce, which has been going on for six years. I asked for temporary support more than once, and was denied each time because my husband and I were supposed to be sharing the expenses of the children, only he never did. I told Judge Drager that I was paying for everything, but she wouldn't hear it. And the lawyers are all afraid to speak up, for fear she will yell at them. I have the children, and I am worried about paying my rent now. We have no health insurance and no life insurance. I can no longer pay my attorney. I made a motion before Judge Drager about my finances eight months ago, and she still hasn't decided. Meanwhile, my husband has left the state and is hiding assets. I understand that the courts are swamped, but this is unfair and uncaring. Moreover, what Judge Drager is doing is placing a burden on the state, because I applied for Medicaid and food stamps. Had I been awarded support three years ago, the situation would be entirely different. But now, by the time she decides, my husband could have nothing left to give.

Other

Comment #: NY5072
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
My divorce case is still open, so I may not be particularly reliable in my ratings, but the fact of the matter is that I recently entered my 4th year of divorce litigation, and I don't even have children. All I know is that I am a 52-year-old woman on food stamps, facing eviction, with a disability case pending. I never worked full-time and my abusive husband -- who has been convicted both for menacing me and for a DWI in upstate New York -- still menaces me and has control of all of our marital assets. When our case went to trial last October, he was in Paris with his new girlfriend and did not even bother to show up. He told me that now he can do what he wants because "the judge already fixed you, I have so much more money than you, you don't stand a chance." The support order was ignored by him, and all the expenses for rent and utilities are on my shoulders now. The thing that scares me the most is that no one seems to care about justice, and the dismissal of proof is creating isolation outside the court. I hope that I am wrong, but brutality is brutality, and it seems clear to me that I am facing strangulation by the system.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: NY5018
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
I got divorced by Judge Laura Drager, and had a trial. I was warned by my attorneys that she is strict. She did things I liked and things I did not like; however, in the end, I believe that she was fair and ruled by the law.
She kept control of the courtroom, and, in my opinion, was a good judge.

Other

Comment #: NY4259
Rating:10.0
Comments:
Hon. Drager is always prepared, reads the papers submitted by the attorneys and genuinely cares. She is astute and knows the law very well. It's a pleasure for an attorney appear in front of her because she is fair.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: NY4145
Rating:1.3
Comments:
Rattling experience. If you are not the moneyed spouse, tough luck. Real shrew. and a bully. No comprehension of the law, ill-tempered.

Other

Comment #: NY3801
Rating:10.0
Comments:
I have known Laura Drager since we attended Hunter College High School.
Even then she was brilliant, honorable, ethical and a good friend.
I called her (almost 2 years ago) and asked for advice.
The advice given was within the confines of her role as a judge and was brief concise and accurate.
Although she was the 'starting' point for the complicated matrimonial issue it was a brilliant starting point.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: NY920
Rating:4.8
Comments:
When I was before her, Judge Drager split her time between criminal and matrimonial. Her capricious, screaming demeanor (directed at attorneys and parties alike) might rattle criminal defendants, but is wholly out of place elsewhere. Totally unprofessional. Strong bias against non-monied spouses and less-than-rich litigants. A complete snob who favors well-heeled counsel.

Other

Comment #: NY882
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
This judge stands against the non-monied spouse and is against women. Angry and inappropriate. She does not allow the court reporter to record her comments.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: NY356
Rating:4.4
Comments:
Extreme anger management problem. Chooses sides early and is impossible to get to see the other viewpoint.