Hon. Michael M. Mihm See Rating Details
District Judge See Comments
C.D.Ill.  
Average Rating:6.6 - 8 rating(s)
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Ratings
*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=Chronic`y Late,10=Always on Time)
*Evenhandedness in Civil Litigation:    (1=Demonstrates Bias,10=Entirely Evenhanded)
*Evenhandedness in Criminal Litigation:   (1=Demonstrates Bias,10=Entirely Evenhanded)
Flexibility In Scheduling   (1=Completely Inflexible,10=Very Flexible)
General Inclination Regarding Bail (1=Pro-Defense,10=Pro-Government)
General Inclination in Criminal Cases, Pre-Trial:   (1=Pro-Defense,10=Pro-Government)
Involvement in Civil Settlement Discussions:   (1=Least Involved,10=Most Involved)
General Inclination in Criminal Cases, Trial:    (1=Pro-Defense,10=Pro-Government)
General Inclination in Criminal Cases, Sentencing:    (1=Most Lenient,10=Most Harsh)
Typical Discount Off Guidelines for Cooperators:    (1=10%,10=100%)
  Items marked with (*) are averaged into the displayed overall rating
Comments


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What others have said about Hon. Michael M. Mihm


Comments


Court Staff

Comment #: 24734
Rating:3.0
Comments:
Good gracious, a level 5 screamer. A colleague urged me to try to think of him as a lion behind bars roaring at you but unable to hurt you. However, I try to be as invisible as possible, and to say as little as possible in his presence. He doesn't want your actual legal opinion--just affirmation of whatever dumb idea he has. I'm reminded of the posters that say "When I want your opinion, I'll give it to you." He seems to think the worst of people, which would have to leak into his judicial decisions. And boy, does he turn on a dime. He's going to blow a gasket one day while he's yelling at lawyers or humble employees.

Send e-mail to this poster 8/31/2017 11:30:51 PM

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: 22849
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
I recently had a criminal case in front of Judge Mihm. I had no problems with him whatsoever. He read my pleadings closely, listened to my arguments and made a thorough record before departing significantly from the Guidelines. He also took very seriously my client's claim that she was not receiving medical treatment in the jail for a serious condition and he went out of his way to address the matter. I am vefry pleased with my experience.

Send e-mail to this poster 6/12/2015 12:17:28 PM

Litigant

Comment #: 21537
Rating:5.0
Comments:
He could not hear well. He is also a bit anti-pro se. He did not read what was submitted, and relied on the law clerk. He has a nice personality, and works well with court staff.

Send e-mail to this poster 2/18/2014 4:19:43 PM

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 12010
Rating:9.2
Comments:
I had the pleasure of appearing and trying a civil case to jury verdict before Judge Mihm a little over a year ago. My co-counsel and I were out of state attorneys and certainly could have been at a disadvantage appearing before an Illinois Federal Judge for that reason alone. However, this was not the case with Judge Mihm. He treated all the parties and attorneys with fairness and made swift intelligent rulings. Having appeared before judges in both California and Florida, Judge Mihm is one of the best judges I have had the opportunity to practice in front of. I could only hope that the judges I appear before in the future are as professional and experienced as Judge Mihm

Send e-mail to this poster 2/24/2011 2:43:46 PM

Court Staff

Comment #: 10498
Rating:3.3
Comments:
The man needs medication. He will be acting completely normal and then completely blow his stack for no apparent reason. The longer he's on the bench, the more he seems to think of himself--he's a good reason why federal judges should not have lifetime appointments.

Send e-mail to this poster 7/5/2010 5:17:31 PM

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 8094
Rating:9.0
Comments:
My experience with Judge Mihm is perhaps dated by a few years, but I was very impressed with both his fairness and his judicial temperament -- and this is a judge who threw my case out on summary judgment (subsequently reversed). Judge Mihm does his best to be fair to all parties. He listens to the parties' legal arguments and factual presentations. He tries to apply the law honestly and without ideological or results-oriented bias. I listed him as leaning slightly toward defendants only because I sense that he is a hair more skeptical of plaintiffs than he is of defendants. But he is certainly not one to buy either side's arguments hook, line and sinker, but carefully considers the facts and the law. He can get bollixed up on overly complicated arguments, but that's more the lawyers' fault than his (if you write like Kant, you don't deserve to be understood). In short, I would be happy to have him hear my civil case no matter which side I was on. And if I ever became a judge (not going to happen), his demeanor is one that I would want to emulate.

Send e-mail to this poster 2/19/2009 1:11:10 PM

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: 6207
Rating:5.5
Comments:
The law is too complex for this judge. He should not be one.

Send e-mail to this poster 5/24/2008 10:09:57 AM