Hon. William Alsup See Rating Details
District Judge See Comments
N.D.Cal.  
Average Rating:3.8 - 37 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
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What others have said about Hon. William Alsup


Comments


Court Staff

Comment #: 35568
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Hopelessly out of touch with anyone but himself. Will babble on for 5 minutes on the record if someone coughs, sneezes or clears their throat in his courtroom. He chastised a fairly young hardworking female attorney for "looking unwell" and coughing in his courtroom. A nut case.

Send e-mail to this poster 6/23/2024 9:08:01 AM

Litigant

Comment #: 35431
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Please do a search on this San Diego Law Review, Volume 1, Issue 1 (1964) on "findings of fact" for FRCP 54(c) and 15(b) - in connection with FRCP 8(c)(1) for a falsified "affirmative defenses" under the long list therefor. This article explained the duty of district judges. The gaping loophole created by the one-sided plausibility pleading for ALL cases under Ashcroft v. Iqbal can be exploited by fraudsters that plaintiff cannot know or respond. But the fraudulent scheme will also void 28 U.S.C. §1331 and §1291 -- meaning "appellate jurisdiction" for "mandamus" under Article III of the Constitution cannot compel the lower courts to respond in absence of jurisdiction. Only DOJ has the Constitutional authority to take over and enforce a federal law. Cf. 28 U.S.C. §2072(b), when a judge also exploits the procedural due process. DOJ has the "duty" under 28 U.S.C. §547 to enforce a federal law. Marbury v. Madison jurisprudence should be used to support the DOJ duty (and that of the states).

Legal community (judges included) should be aware of the epic harm on the judicial system from the combination. I went through hell (even with a legal team for the class action) in the last 13+ years. Contact me if you want.

Send e-mail to this poster 1/3/2024 12:50:35 PM

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: 35393
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Brady Material is evidence helpful to a person accused of a crime.

Prosecution lost Brady Material in criminal trial against me. Alsup denied my motion seeking the Brady material.

I believe that every party seeking justice should avoid appearing before alsup.

Send e-mail to this poster 11/26/2023 8:16:05 AM

Litigant

Comment #: 34853
Rating:3.0
Comments:
Today, the 9th Upheld this man's slanderous, life defining destruction order upon me. I will never get over this, ever. This man, cut and paste the Def's slanderous allegations in their dismissal motions and then committed his own full fledged assault on my character and person. He told me I had a "Victim Complex"....that I had a "habit" of "always being the victim". The facts, etched in stone of numerous dockets around the State of CA is the following; I helped develop IP that is used in and of support of the IPHONE, that was created in my own home, leased in my name, for years. For this, I was promised a small %. Years after that promise, I had to hire counsel to have the % in fact "formalized", which occurred within a 45 minute court session with no arguments, everyone involved knew the % was mine. Next up! Within DAYS: Enter the Vulture, the thieving kind, tied to the hip of Judges, District Attorneys, City Attorneys, State SEnators heading up "Judiciary Committees" you name it, they have it! The vultures weren't about to have a trained accountant that might ask to look at books and records at any point in time of their scheme to steal the IP of myself and my co founders, like they had done across the state to many other family owned business' with valuable IP's; the Vultures set about lying to Courts, extorting the founders and myself for signatures to move securities representing our valuable, $165M intell properties over a 8 year period. The day the I Phone was announced to the WORLD I was ambushed, no attorney, with a witness, I went to pick up 5-6 replacement stock certificates for the 5-6 replacement stock certificate contracts I had executed and notarized at my workplace. I had been demanding to see the share registry to confirm my ownership % but the Vulture Circle wasn't about to let that happen! Why? They had illegally moved 46% of the company outside of our circle and along with the bribed on site managers, 5 , now multi millionaires, moved 46% of the company to an outside entity, denying all of us the right to bid on the shares, rights of first refusal, and the right to stop their 17 day takeover. I was ambushed the Day the IPhone was announced to the World! They phoned me before I arrived at the law firm to pick up my 5-6 replacement stock certificates for the ones I had lost, years earlier, I show up, an attorney hands me a stack of papers, (I was told I had to sign "something" to pick up the certificates regardless of my earlier executed contracts- I was, on the phone the same day offered "additional shares" for my claim I thought I was being shorted my %, I said I would only "consider" signing something for "additional shares" and would sign nothing to damage my holding % contract, ie. something strictly in exchange for their denial of my inspecting the share registry) Instead, when I arrived, there were no 5-6 certificates! It was only ONE, approximating the total of the 5-6 replacement certs! An Attorney in the Lobby, Joshua Geffon approached me at the door and handed me a stack of papers saying I had to sign another "stack" in a conference room to get my "certificate"...I had never AGREED TO DO THIS!!! I said I would consider and had ALREADY EXPECTED my replacement certificates!! INsTEAD, I find only one CERTIFICATE! A different attorney, unknown, than Geffon followed me in the room, I and my witness across the long table, I started looking at these additional papers for the first time! I looked at the guy, pushing papers across the table at me with his thick linen cuffs, his gold on his fingers, diamonds, his slick hair and skin and I YELLED FRAUD TOTAL DURESS, I had no attorney AND THAT MAN RAN, my witness has always said he ran like he was caught in a Bear Trap! Seeing ONLY ONE certificate! instead of the 5-6, and with Latham having just called me telling me I had to sign something additional that same day to pick up ANY CERTIFICATE because in "36 hours you'll have no shareholder rights" I VOIDED THE DOCUMENTS AND RECEIVED ABSOLUTELY nothing not ALREADY MINE!! It took YEARS, and finally near 2019 I got the FIRST SHARE REGISTRY, proving me still owed TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SHARES of my 1995 % holding contract! BILL ALSUP with hate and Malice towards me has ALLOWED THIS TO HAPPEN! That man prosecuted me, without counsel in a dismissal hearing last year! He started yelling at me "is that your signature, is that your signature right there" THEY HAVE DONE "FRAUD IN THE EXECUTION" they destroyed my interlineated pages, that VOIDED THE ITEM, moving absolutely no "consideration" to me that wasn't already mine! BILL ALSUP CHEATED LAW AND JUSTICE by maliciously writing that I got FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR A SETTLEMENT CONTRACT,,,,ALL a horrendous LIE, all the shareholders were extorted and threatened with litigation , individually, behind the scenes, to endorse our share certificates, physically, to the Vultures, monies were only paid by the BNY ESCROW for STOCK CERTIFICATES and the Merger Contract said no litigation would be entered into, settled or litigated and that no additional shares would issue, which did not in fact occur with me, I am still shorted tens of thousands of SHARES, I HAVE A 700$ THOUSAND DOLLAR JUDGMENT ON MY HEAD FROM A FORGERY of this item; LATHAM CHANGED OUT the pages and ADDED MY SIGNATURE TO THEIR FORGERY; LATHAM's Officer Tauber FINALLY ADMITTED TO ME ON THE PHONE HER LIE TO JUDGE ALSUP! She told him near 20 times she had a "bonafide contract with me for the 50K", just "not with her" in the Court house!! SHE ADMITTED TO ME SHE HAD NO CONTRACT WHAT SO EVER! She used my fraud exhibit emailed to me 13 years ago by Latham!!! JUDGE ALSUP DEFILED THE OFFICE OF THE COURT AND HAS DESTROYED MY LIFE WITH IMPUNITY SLANDERING MY CHARACTER I will NEVER get over this, EVER! He KNEW and KNOWS this is a MASSIVE fraud on myself an my co founders and their families, all ROBBED $80 MILLION; he said it on the transcript! "why didn't the other shareholders sign this document?" "It would've made your case a little stronger"!!! THERE WAS NO LAW SUIT, THERE IS NO SETTLEMENT "CONTRACT" and no 50K WAS PAID OR SHOWN THE COURT AS PAID FOR ANY SETTLEMENT EVER!!! it was a freezeout merger escrow! FOR THE PAST YEAR the CA BAR DEMANDED THEY SHOW THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS TO ME FOR COPYING AND TO INSPECT THE PAPER WEAVE FOR THE PAGE CHANGE OUTS; ALL THREE LAW FIRMS REFUSE!! THEY REFUSE TO SAY IF THEY HAVE IT OR NOT AND REFUSE TO SHOW IT and the CA BAR just sits there, RELIANT ON THE CRIMINAL RULING AGAINST ME OF ALSUP INSTEAD; i am dead

Send e-mail to this poster 8/30/2022 10:19:07 PM

Other

Comment #: 33782
Rating:1.0
Comments:
abusive, pompous, arrogant, plaintiff and government bias.I was manipulated by the government to be a witness against the defendant.I was scared. Judge treated everybody with hate and disdain.

Send e-mail to this poster 5/13/2021 2:02:38 PM

Litigant

Comment #: 33758
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
I don't know how to rate this judge minus who tampered with evidence to aid and abet the defense lawyers who also falsified evidence for the motion to dismiss the class action. BOTH exploited: (1) Rule 52(a) for the extorted "findings of fact" to keep the appellate away even in de novo review (See 1985 Amendment);(2) Rule 23(b)(2) for a class certification defense which Rule 52(a)(3) does NOT exclude(See 1966 Amendment); and (3) Rule 54(b)which the district court controls when an appellate court is required to hear an appeal.

This judge violated the 14th Amendment and obstructed the court proceeding, despite the defense lawyers confessed to falsification in the only hearing 9 years later. If you need to know more on the systemic loopholes, please contact me. We need to protect the integrity of judicial system.

Send e-mail to this poster 4/25/2021 4:52:15 PM

Court Staff

Comment #: 33756
Rating:1.0
Comments:
The least congenial man in the building.
Arrogant, boisterous, curt, and simply rude to people. Gets his jollies by denigrating attorneys. Do not dare cough in this courtroom; you will be reprimanded on the record for several minutes if you do so. Retire already.

Send e-mail to this poster 4/24/2021 10:05:07 AM

Civil Litigation - Govt.

Comment #: 33742
Rating:3.3
Comments:
Completely ignored facts. Biased and definitely not even-handed or impartial.When presented with irrefutable evidence that he made a huge judgment error he refused to ackknowledge that the Dept of Labor suppressed totally exonerating evidence and Forged, modified, reworded and edited an official goverment document and submitted it as evidence early in the case expectibg the case to settle.When the case did not settle the US DOL proceeded to embark ib a character assasinating campaign to destroy the defendant ao he would not have the opportunity to afford the trial and the forged document and coverup would be seen in Discovery.Egregious violations of the defendants constitutional rights resulted,along with many millions of dollars in damages.The actual authentic document that was supressed by the DOL and modified to say the opposite of what it actually says was not discovered by defendant till after the wrongful judgement that the judge refused to overturn. There was only one thing before the judge in the case. whether or not the volunteer position was considered employment as far as the FLSA. The suppressed actual document explicitly provided a carveout and said the volunteer position did NOT constitute an employment relationship. The judge was WRONG and failed to take responsibility for his HUGE mistake.
Arrogant, unfair, demeaning and intoxicated with power.Potentially senile and impaired. A danger to citizens.

Send e-mail to this poster 4/7/2021 1:48:15 AM

Court Staff

Comment #: 33665
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Whoever made this judge miserable in his lifetime, he hasn't forgotten it and takes it out on everyone who comes before him. Quick tempered, bizarre, probably senile, and will lecture you on the record for four to five minutes if you so much as cough or sneeze in his courtroom. Don't dare be late. His hearings begin at 8:00 a.m. because he's got no life.
A complete mad man in need of being in power.

Send e-mail to this poster 2/18/2021 7:00:25 PM

Civil Litigation - Govt.

Comment #: 28240
Rating:3.3
Comments:
This guy is the absolute worst. Totally inconsistent, biased, prejudiced, temperamental, jumps to conclusions where he has no information, expertise or experience. Makes unfair predictions.He is so bad I think he must be senile, cognitively impaired or mild to medium dementia. he has to be tested for these and has NO business being on the bench.
These guys should never be appointed for more than 8 years and should be tested every 1-2 years.

Send e-mail to this poster 9/28/2018 5:25:48 PM

Other

Comment #: 25159
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Your decision on the homeless in Berkeley is really sad, take a look at what the homeless are doing to our major cities, many like myself do not go to San Francisco, Oakland or Berkeley ( I am a Berkeley grad. } anymore to the filth and crime. I do not like being hassled by the homeless for money etc. John Thelen

Send e-mail to this poster 1/22/2018 7:54:19 PM

Litigant

Comment #: 25146
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Has a community college teachers legal intellect worthy of ridicule and disdain.

Send e-mail to this poster 1/16/2018 3:12:10 PM

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: 24441
Rating:8.0
Comments:
Judge Alsup is very bright, exceptionally hard-working, highly knowledgeable, and a trial attorney's judge, all of which are superb.

My only significant complaint is that his rocket-docket is a forced death march into professional exhaustion. I appeared before him in a highly complex case for product counterfeiting in which we had numerous parties and cross-actions. Incredibly, he made wise, well-informed rulings on key issues on remarkably short notice time after time, even ruling against me on my key affirmative defense (but in a careful ruling, with which I still disagree).

I have only praise, except for the unrealistic calendaring, which was just about unmanageable. Otherwise, I highly recommend him. He is uncommonly bright and fair, and he knows how to get to the point. He is unpredictable and mercurial, but overall a very astute federal judge.

Send e-mail to this poster 6/6/2017 5:24:18 AM

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 23588
Rating:2.0
Comments:
This judge is the poster child for why federal judges should not be appointed for life. He is imperious and has no regard for litigants. His hearings are at 8:00 a.m. and because he does not permit telephonic appearances ("under any circumstances"), out of town attorneys are required to spend the night in San Francisco, unnecessarily increasing the costs of litigation. He demands appearances on issues that should be decided without argument and then, does not even listen to the argument. What an ass!

Send e-mail to this poster 6/24/2016 5:19:42 PM

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 23078
Rating:8.0
Comments:
If you want a judge that follows the civil rules, makes proper exceptions when needed. And, what I like most, tell you how it is or how he sees things, then this is your man. He seems gruff, but if you have a good case and you show up prepared, I don't think there is anything to worry about. This opinion is based on a pretty contentious employment matter, with close discovery disputes and SJ, and (despite the anxiety fostered by these reviews) I think he was a good judge for the case.

Send e-mail to this poster 10/19/2015 5:30:30 PM

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: 20956
Rating:3.3
Comments:
Believes himself to be insightful, but often fails to understand basic legal issues. Can be nasty and petty when he feels challenged by counsel. His main concern is hurrying things along.

Send e-mail to this poster 8/10/2013 3:28:03 PM

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 20918
Rating:2.3
Comments:
The other reviews of J. Alsup are far too generous. He is the worst kind of judge. He has no business being on the bench. He issues absurd rulings simply to punish counsel. He gets hung up on hypertechnical issues totally unrelated to the merits. And if he doesn't like you or your client, watch out. Every little thing will go against you. If he won't retire, I may have to consider retiring myself or moving.

Send e-mail to this poster 7/27/2013 4:41:03 PM

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: 20842
Rating:6.2
Comments:
Assumes the worst of lawyers appearing in his courtroom. Vindictive and egotistical.

Send e-mail to this poster 6/27/2013 6:51:08 PM

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 20819
Rating:2.6
Comments:
I find this judge unable to fairly observe the facts. Terribly temperamental, he tries to bully people in his courtroom, especially pro se litigants. This erratic behavior gets in the way of the process. He will retaliate when he is angered by whatever he perceives as a problem. Rudeness and unnecessary disrespect to a degree simply intolerable in a federal judge. He is obviously intelligent, which only raises the question as to why he acts the way he does.

Send e-mail to this poster 6/19/2013 2:59:39 PM

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 20180
Rating:6.7
Comments:
Alsup is a very hard worker, to be sure. He's very smart and will rule by the book, but he'll give you the impression he's ruling from his moral compass, which is part of his courtroom shtick. He can be terribly temperamental. He takes no b.s. in argument. If you say someone said X, or the contract says X, or the case says X, he will make you point out exactly where. If you can't do it, you've lost. Be prepared, play everything straight, and you can stand up to him when he tries to bully you, which he actually kind of likes. If your client isn't wearing the white hat, you're toast.

Send e-mail to this poster 4/10/2013 2:01:07 PM

Other

Comment #: 19689
Rating:5.0
Comments:
While I found him to have a bit of a hair trigger on procedural issues, lawyer preparation, etc; I did find him to be able to fairly observe the facts. By doing so he helped me avoid a trial since settlement was the only way the plaintiff could exit gracefully.

Send e-mail to this poster 3/6/2013 10:06:06 AM

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 19688
Rating:2.5
Comments:
Arbitrary, abusive, easily manipulated by accusations of attorney misconduct which he uncritically accepts. Consistently fails to demonstrate judicial balance in temperament or decision making. A disgrace to the federal bench.

Send e-mail to this poster 3/6/2013 9:55:09 AM

Litigant

Comment #: 13843
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Flip flopper on his orders and will retaliate when he is angered by whatever he perceives as a problem.
The erratic behavior gets in the way of the process and has a negative impact. It cost a lot of extra money to keep a case on track.

Send e-mail to this poster 4/5/2012 8:20:18 PM

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 13222
Rating:3.5
Comments:
Appears to delight in torturing the attorneys that appear before him. A view shared by both sides of the bar. Rudeness and unnecessary disrespect is simply intolerable in a federal judge. He is obviously intelligent. Which raises the question as to why he acts the way he does. A very angry person. Regardless of his obvious pro-corporate bias if you draw him it will be unpleasant for everyone.

Send e-mail to this poster 11/27/2011 3:04:18 PM

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 13167
Rating:1.3
Comments:
Awful. Caused needless complication of a case that was ready to be settled. The worst kind of arbitrary and capricious judge. He should retire.

Send e-mail to this poster 11/16/2011 6:37:57 PM

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 12414
Rating:5.3
Comments:
The worst kind of judge- an inflexible bureaucrat who is discourteous and inconsiderate towards counsel and who cares more for case administration and clearing his docket than he does working with the parties to secure a just and cost-effective result. He gets opinions out quickly, but they are poorly-reasoned and his conduct at oral argument often displays a complete ignorance of the law in question, is purely reactionary in nature, and seems fueled by pettiness and a disrespect for the Bar.

Send e-mail to this poster 6/9/2011 10:22:49 AM

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 10132
Rating:2.8
Comments:
Irascible, and cavalier with the law and facts. Egotistical and thin skinned. No professional respect for counsel who appear in his court, we're all a bunch of liars and fools. On the other hand, if your opposing counsel annoys him, he'll take care of you.

Send e-mail to this poster 5/1/2010 1:10:48 PM

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 8872
Rating:2.3
Comments:
May think he's smart, but he is woefully ignorant of simple financial and accounting issues. Forms a pre-conception of your case and then stops listening to anything you say, and starts getting testy when you try different angles to point out how his view doesn't fit the facts. In an SEC Ponzi scheme case, he took the amazing tack that the complaining victims, who lost everything, were profiting from the fraud! It will be interesting to see how much of those remarks end up in the transcript.

Send e-mail to this poster 7/9/2009 8:04:43 PM

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 8717
Rating:5.2
Comments:
Nasty, nit-picker, on a power trip.

Send e-mail to this poster 5/28/2009 1:12:36 PM

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 8363
Rating:3.6
Comments:
Smart enough but has no respect for and overly suspicious of attorneys. Couldn't get along with attorneys when in private practice and now taking it out on all of us. Makes lawyers and clients jump through ridiculous procedural hoops.

Send e-mail to this poster 3/9/2009 3:48:02 PM

Litigant

Comment #: 7820
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Terrible, terrible judge. I agree with the other critical reviews. Totally intolerant of pro se litigants. Opinions are smart and well-written but he absurdly mis-cites both facts and law. Completely off the wall legally, and pro-statist. Terrifies everyone. Abrasive, abusive. Lawyers do not want to get in front of him. Former Mississippi judge. Prefers corporate cases, does not like to waste time on civil rights. Will do anything he can to clear his docket lists. Found transcripts severely altered to protect abusive and biased remarks made from bench. Hard to believe that he actually clerked for William O. Douglas. Tries to present himself as a liberal but is anything but. Enjoys a great reputation with the establishment because everyone is terrified of him.

Send e-mail to this poster 1/18/2009 8:24:32 PM

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: 6832
Rating:3.3
Comments:
He's a Clinton appointee who used to clerk for William O. Douglas of the U.S. Supreme Court -- a guy known for torturing his law clerks for sport. No doubt that is where this sourpuss developed the relish for torturing everyone else. What I don't understand is why a guy as smart as he is, who clearly enjoys the law as much as he does, goes out of his way to make everyone else so miserable. You have a lifetime appointment, Bill: chill, enjoy it, and inspire lawyers to be better instead of beating us down.

Send e-mail to this poster 9/26/2008 1:57:52 PM

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: 6727
Rating:1.7
Comments:
Rude, insolent, a generally nasty fellow. Has never met a prosecutor he didn't like. The other comments are generally accurate.

Send e-mail to this poster 9/4/2008 1:10:06 AM

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 6065
Rating:4.3
Comments:
Unprofessionally peevish in demeanor.

Send e-mail to this poster 4/17/2008 12:36:20 AM

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: 5879
Rating:8.8
Comments:
Brilliant, disarming, crafty, dangerous. A real character. I like Judge Allsup, but be careful...

Send e-mail to this poster 3/10/2008 6:55:07 PM

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 5585
Rating:6.2
Comments:
Plaintiff-oriented and anti-insurer in civil litigation; somewhat testy in demeanor. Very bright.

Send e-mail to this poster 1/21/2008 7:58:09 PM

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 2226
Rating:6.2
Comments:
He's the smartest guy in the building. If you don't believe it, just ask him and he will confirm it himself.

Send e-mail to this poster 9/12/2006 3:05:17 PM