"The Robing Room: OR State Judges

Hon. Susan M. Svetkey	See Rating Details
Circuit Court Judge Circuit Court
Multnomah County Judicial District 4	See Comments

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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. Susan M. Svetkey

Comments

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: OR600
Rating:1.4

Comments:
She causes harm to families. I am a mom and she took my kids from me when my narcissistic/abusive co-parents teamed up to accuse me of abuse, and there was a DHS investigation that was not founded, yet she continued to call me an abuser. She doesn't listen to/pay attention to evidence that doesn't fit her narrative that she makes up in her head based on the dad's false accusations.

One of my co-parents abuses alcohol and then abuses my daughter, and when I tried to get a hearing, she wouldn't even hear it, and now my child is stuck in a situation that she feels unsafe in.

I will continue to press hard and/or appeal her [redacted] rulings. She abuses her power and punishes the victims while celebrating the abusers. Nobody should be treated the way she has treated me, it is inhumane.

I've started a change.org petition if anyone wants to sign it. She needs to step down. Please sign if you agree

https://chng.it/Yj5px46j

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: OR596
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
I also want to say,that attacking others for speaking out about something serious like this is not the right thing to do.
This is about protecting children and having g fair rights.
There's quite a few people on this site that have college degrees and are just as intelligent. Having a college degree or being in a position of authority does not make a person any smarter or make them a person of sound judgment....

Litigant

Comment #: OR594
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
What I want to respond to is the fact that only a couple of people who had a good outcome with Judge Svetsky have said good things about her ruling.
Out of cases of hundreds of women and possibly men,she has put children in grave danger. This is seriously a Judge that doesn't use sound judgment.

Litigant

Comment #: OR592
Rating:10.0

Comments:
Judge Svetkey is wise beyond other judges. Ive been fortunate enough to have had her on my case. After 7 years before her, I can say she rules with passion and does use her own judgement to cut through the bullcrap. Theres always a losing side and people who lose are going to be angry and want to settle scores. So they find this to smear and slander a good woman. I have been in front of her many times on false allegations and she sees through lies and deception.people who are on the side of right and win never find this page because we move on. I do found this page looking up my court date set for Friday.
I gave my ex a chance to have temporary custody as a way of gauging if I would grant her some form of joint custody so we as parents could agree. But having had the chance to be in physical custody of our son. She whined everyday demanding I do this and that and that I bring her this or that. Then after 3 weeks basically did nothing to better him. Did exactly what she accused me of in recent court filings. Then basically demanded I come and get him and that she was in no position to have him. Went so far as to call herself incompetent and unstable and therefore I made a mistake in giving her custody. But she still wants hearing friday.
Judge Svetkey was wise and smart in knowing that my sin was better off with me. And yes I am a man. And that has nothing to bare on her rulings. People are just stuck in the old days whenmothers won no matter what.

Litigant

Comment #: OR585
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Svetky should know that after ruling custody to a convicted drug dealer he left the child with his mother and never paid for his abandonment. She refused to change the order to reflect reality. She ignored the custody evaluation that favored the mother. EVERY YEAR THAT PASSED AFTER HER ORDER SHOWED HOW WRONG SHE WAS. Mother became a stable construction Inspector and her favorite the father is now living on the streets in California. Svetky is a judicial menace who does not care about children. She is a terrible judge of character.

Litigant

Comment #: OR584
Rating:1.0

Comments:
[redacted by Ed.] This woman is unable to spot abuse, which you'd think was her job. This woman believes lies, shuts out maternal parental rights and singlehandedly destroyed my faith in the court system. Susan wants children to live with unreliable unemployed convicted criminals rather than live with a woman who shows emotion in the courtroom, facts be damned. Susan has SO MUCH bad karma. [redacted by Ed.]

Other

Comment #: OR583
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Horrible judge who believed a chronically unemployed convicted drug dealer narcissist, going against custody evaluation humiliating me in court for crying and ultimately failed to protect my son showing clear bias and utter lack of empathy or attention to facts of the case. My lawyer told me she hated me personally and thought I was litigious because I filed to change custody after the abusive father abandoned child. Clearly bought the lies and screwed me over for no good reason.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: OR510
Rating:10.0

Comments:
Judge Svetkey treated me very well.

Other

Comment #: OR509
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Suppose to be progressive city, but a clear bias from the start by this judge. Despite evidence the judge lacked any ability to show holistic mindset. Blood rules mindset despite the harm they've done. The child suffers and no ability for common sense. Despite what seems numerous negative reviews out there and what I've heard from lawyers, how is she still a judge?

Other

Comment #: OR506
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
0
She's a horrible judge and she doesn't use sound judgements.
She allows woman in particular to be abused and children to be abused because of her judgements.

In my own personal experience my son was stripped from me at 4 months old because my abusive narcissistic ex accused my then 9 year old son of sitting on his baby brother. Without any proof I was automatically given a court paper on my birthday and my ex brought the police and stripped my child from me.
I was breastfeeding at the time.
My son had changed from being a happy infant to very quiet.
It really affected my oldest son but everything was directed towards the abusers and how this was affecting their household.
This judge did nothing to my ex when he kept him from me and she made me take anger Management classes when I had done nothing to harm my children or the other household.
The attorney that was supervising the anger management classes made a call because my youngest was being abused.
I tried to tell the courts this and no one would listen until dhs was involved and even though the court evaluator stated that my youngest should be placed with me,she ignored his evaluation.
No woman or mother should ever be put in this position with this judge.
My son is grown now and had left his father to move back with me at 15 because of his abuse.
I am pleased to say that through the scars and trauma that the judge put us all through he's a pretty adjusted young man.
He's graduated with good grades.
But through this experience, I wouldn't wish anyone to go through the trauma and horrible nightmare with this judge.
She's not trustworthy and her courtroom is a circus,to say the least.
It's an absolute joke to think that she's been a judge and actually states that she advocates for children.
She doesn't seem to care.
This seems like she just wants power and control.
She doesn't protect anyone, in fact she adds insult to injury and innocent children and their mothers are forced to endure abuse because of her rulings.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: OR480
Rating:1.0

Comments:
This judge is a classic example of god complex with a lack of holistic thinking. She wears her blatant bias and unprofessional emotions on her sleeve. She sets a tone of old school kowtowing and croonyism that you’d not expect in such a supposed “progressive & equitable” city/ county

Other

Comment #: OR454
Rating:1.0

Comments:
How can this judge be allowed to continue in office. Has she been reported to law board?

Other

Comment #: OR451
Rating:1.0

Comments:
I would give a 0 if I could, she is the absolute worst . Always favors the males, treats women like they are criminals. Does not give children voices, ignores domestic violence and drug use.
Refuses expert opinion and is Malice. She puts her own opinion above the laws and what’s is best for children and families

Litigant

Comment #: OR447
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Awesome! I have traumatic brain injury and she treated me very well.

Other

Comment #: OR446
Rating:2.0

Comments:
Bias against mother in favor of men; refuses to allow mental health and other resource experts to testify in court; unable to listen to testimony without consonantly interrupting; unable recall basic facts of case; provides no justification for her rulings; unable to follow standard court remedies for perjury, violations and contempt; and unable to follow-up on completion of motions presented to her in court. She may have a cognitive impairment limiting her ability to help the community she took oath to serve. Unprofessional in her conduct with other legal professional in court with doesn't reflect will on her.

Litigant

Comment #: OR444
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Blatant bias and unwillingness to look at all the facts of a case, thereby destroying children’s lives.

Litigant

Comment #: OR443
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Blatant bias and unwillingness to look at all the facts of a case, thereby destroying children’s lives.

Court Staff

Comment #: OR432
Rating:1.0

Comments:
She repeatedly violates women’s and child civil rights. I have seen her object to questions directed to deadbeat fathers, While treating mothers so disrespectfully. She is cruel and prefers abusive men to family rights.

Other

Comment #: OR427
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Gave the male custody in two personally know cases one the father never work sold drugs most of adult life second father threw mother into wall still verbally and mentally abusive in front of child

Other

Comment #: OR421
Rating:10.0

Comments:
You all are crazy. Biased? Nowl way, favors the male side? Absolutely not.
I had judge Svetkey during a CPS case and she worked with me and made sure to let me know that she was proud of me, and gave credit where credit was due. My cps working tried to keep my case open longer even though I was striving in life and raising my son alone. Judge Sletkey gave me my second chance to be the mom I knew I could be. When she asked cps why they wanted to keep my casr open another 2 months they said because they were worried about my sons father getting out us relapsing. She laughed at them and said there was no way she was going to keep my case open because of them future tripping. Exact words. And congratulated me on my nine months clean, closed my case and told me she was as proud and excited that she got to watch me grow and learn from this. I give her an over all rating of 10. I was lucky to have her as a judge.

Litigant

Comment #: OR408
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
She refused to allow a County Public Health Doctor to speak on my behalf. How is this possible? I thought public health doctors had the absolute authority on medical matters? Unbelievable.

Litigant

Comment #: OR388
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
She is a truth seeker, and finder! I felt so strong by her side! Great Judge!

Litigant

Comment #: OR381
Rating:1.0

Comments:
This judge allowed my divorce to go on for three years. She allowed my pathological narcissistic x to lie about our marriage for several hours. She was rude and intimidating to my lawyer. Even court security would not let me leave until my ex left the court property because they overheard his threats to me.

My ex refused to work and mentally and physically abused me for 30 years. Every time I tried to leave he would hold my children hostage. I couldn’t even tell him where I worked. I had no friends and no where to go. My x would not even let me see my 4 children’s report cards. Yet, I worked and supported the entire family... I finally was able to get my kids in a safe place so I could contact the police and file a restraining order. This judge treated me like I was a weak liar. She allowed the divorce to last so long that my attorney fees were nearly $70,000. While he used a discounted attorney. We would settle one item (with me giving him everything he wanted because I knew it wasn’t worth the $250 per hour attorney fees) then he would bring up another item. She made me feel as if my children and I deserved all of the abuse. She allowed my ex to pay child support directly to my daughter instead of going through the state. My ex NEVER paid support, violated the restraining order. I paid for it all!!! She is cruel and seems to prefer men to woman.

Now I am forced to deal the qdro issue. My ex already cashed his retirement and I have not received a dime. His attorney wants me to allow an early distribution from my PERS account.

No wonder I have severe depression and mental health issues, PTSD!!!

Please don’t marry after considering the potential consequences!

Other

Comment #: OR348
Rating:1.0

Comments:
I have watched this Judge in action as a by-stander in a recent court case. Her bias against the defendant was shocking. She allowed the prosecutor to disparage and discredit highly qualified expert witnesses and sworn testimony of numerous lay witnesses in closing arguments WITHOUT substantiation in record. She then wrote an opinion in which she made her own psychological assessments of the defendant based on "appearances" and "defendant's reactions" during court hearings... NONE of it substantiated by professional expert testimony. I have covered many court hearings as a journalist and this display of bias was the worst I have seen.

Other

Comment #: OR341
Rating:10.0

Comments:
Fair and non biased and I think that's why she has a low score. The people who gave her low scores dont like the fact that she is more intelligent than most so called experts and way more intelligent then they are.

Other

Comment #: OR315
Rating:1.0

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: OR309
Rating:2.3

Comments:
This judge is heavily biased in favor of male litigants, ignores domestic violence, and puts children at great risk by ignoring evidence, witness and expert testimony, and silencing the litigant she disfavors.

Her demeanor is dramatic and unprofessional, and her orders are emotionally based and dangerously incomplete to the point of civil rights violations.

This judge needs to find another profession where she can lord total control over others without endangering people.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: OR307
Rating:1.3

Comments:
very biased in favor of the male. Does not follow judicial protocol. Once asked the male litigant's attorneys if they planned on objecting. She screams at witnesses, refuses to allow experts to testify if they are on the female's side. She is very hostile toward the female litigant and all those supporting her. She considers all women liars. She doesn't believe men can be abusers. She is married to a criminal defense attorney who takes high profile cases, some involving crimes against children. Her behavior is unethical and in violation of judicial practice as well as the Oregon State Bar practice standards. She refuses to recuse herself and does not abide by the law. She gives custody to the father despite CPS findings of spousal and child abuse. Many children and DV victims have been revictimized at her hand. Terrible judge!

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: OR306
Rating:1.4

Comments:
Extremely biased toward men in family law cases, with a marked pattern of ignoring or silencing female litigants and their attorneys. Will take over the questioning and lead the male litigant (and their counsel) to a winning line of argument, which she will then use to rule in favor of the male litigant. At the same time, Svetkey is often hostile to witnesses, including experts, appearing on behalf of Mother.

Is extremely reluctant to uphold domestic violence restraining orders when the victim is female. Has been overturned on appeal for vacating a domestic violence restraining order where the man physically attacked the woman on the courthouse steps.

In my opinion it is borderline malpractice for an attorney representing a female client to fail to affidavit Judge Svetkey.

Other

Comment #: OR280
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Judge Svetkey presided over a parenting agreement modification initiated by myself. I was merely attempting to clean up my agreement as the mother had been taking liberties and changing the agreement at will. The mother began by falsifying statements (always, never statements etc), the judge then seemed to ignore my response statements. Her demeanor seemed biased, sided and almost sexist as she seemingly disregarded my rebuttals. Is there an oversight or accountability board for rulings in family law court? She did not seem fair at all and contrary to the other views I was not accused of being an abusive male.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: OR204
Rating:2.6

Comments:
Biased in favor of men. Has caused harm in domestic violence situations.

Court Staff

Comment #: OR203
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Extremely biased in favor of abusive men. I have seen her silence women and refuse to admit evidence in hearings for restraining orders when there was abuse and award custody to men who also abused the children. There is nepotism with her choice of court appointed experts, and amongst certain firms, increasing litigant costs for profit. She has caused needless harm, has been intentionally cruel, and does not deserve her post.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: OR184
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Judge Susan Svetkey has no control over her emotions and her rulings are evidence of her extreme biases. She often yells at witnesses in her courtroom and uses corrosion to force them into compliance and acceptance that she is "the strong arm of the law". Judge Susan Svetkey has used tampered witnesses and "experts" whom are appointed by her as board of directors for her various family law non-profits. She has even heard cases where her husband Steven Houze has represented one of the parties. This is a gross conflict of interest and illegal to the oath she swore. Judge Susan Svetkey and her accomplices have created a social injustice within the family courts and that has had a great effect on the lives of children and their parents. Judge Susan Svetkey does not look out for the children's best interest; Judge Susan Svetkey looks out for the interest of her power and control over the empire she has created.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: OR70
Rating:9.1

Comments:
It is a joy to appear in her court.