Hon. Cecilia M. Altonaga See Rating Details
District Judge See Comments
S.D.Fla.  
Average Rating:6.9 - 26 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. Cecilia M. Altonaga


Comments


Other

Comment #: 33407
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Judge Altonaga will not help a 70 year old service connected disabled veteran,in the system for more than 16 years.
A non violent offender who served 120 months incarcerated,{a fraud case, in whitch the victims, check approval companies} were made whole through tax write offs. Instead caring more about restitution, and her victims being made whole. It matters not that the veteran is the only defendant out of 22 who has made any restitution. More than $28,000 [to date] from his Veterans Affairs disability compensation. A suffering human being on supervised release,for more than 78 months, for only technical violations. The supervised release was originally for a term of 60 months.
Where is the justice in that case.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 21912
Rating:6.5
Comments:
Judge Altonaga's industriousness and formidable intellect are overshadowed by her lack of appropriate judicial demeanor. She is hot headed, caustic, generally lacks courtesy and has a nasty attitude. She should not be on the bench.

Other

Comment #: 21786
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
I find her to be on the side of the HUGE firms but as far as covering up for POTUS you are out of your mind! You have a major problem hopefully your son will be a POW. The men traded are old and shot by now anyway .

Other

Comment #: 21785
Rating:1.0
Comments:
This judge, by even accepting the illegal and fraudulent case against Dr. Steve Pieczenik, and hearing it, is committing the greatest judicial fraud of her career. This is all connected to the cover-up around Sgt. Bergdahl, a case on which POTUS could be impeached. She should get a conscience, stop running cover on behapf of her political commanders, and burn this cover-up to the ground. She can do that with a word and a batch of courage.

Prosecutor

Comment #: 21756
Rating:5.8
Comments:
Overall a good judge BUT troubling rulings on AEDPA case...Latest fiasco is No. 13-11789 POPE vs FLA. 11th circuit had for the second time REVERSE her grant of writ of habeas corpus. She just cant get the "...determination was not contrary to or an unreasonable application of clearly established Supreme Court law" She has a problem with Death Penalty cases and makes you wonder if she can be elevated to higher court.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 21272
Rating:9.2
Comments:
Quite simply an excellent judge.

Prosecutor

Comment #: 20754
Rating:8.0
Comments:
Judge Altonaga can be very smart and pleasant. But sometimes she "goes off the reservation" with rulings and can be a little harsh -- unnecessarily so -- with lawyers appearing before her.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: 19065
Rating:9.8
Comments:
Excellent & fair judge . Listens to both sides of an argument.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: 13797
Rating:4.3
Comments:
She needs to actually understand the issues before rulimg which she does in a NY minute certainly not a Cuban minute.
Plays the game as though she is giving you a fair shake but when it gets hot she can't handle it. Doesn't want to have to make a controversial decision or piss off the big firms and I believe her husband works for Holland and Knight. Makes me appreciate James Lwrence King, the late Judge Eaton and Roetteger as well as Peter Faye. True, honest, unbiased jurists!

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 12552
Rating:4.4
Comments:
Intelligent, aggressive, heavy-handed, hot-headed and extremely biased in favor of civil defendants, especially the more establishment types. She tends to take the lead and ram cases through. Responds to written motions with written orders in record time, sometimes the same day. Not a good horse for the little people to bet on. Doesn't seem to tolerate pro se litigants whatsoever.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 8902
Rating:1.0
Comments:
One of the worst most rude Jugde's that I have ever come across, she tramples on people's rights and shold not be on the bench, she is hateful to say the very least.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 5537
Rating:9.8
Comments:
Excellent in all respects.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 4939
Rating:8.8
Comments:
Trying a case in her division is a pleasure. She is very bright and very careful.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 4649
Rating:10.0
Comments:
I had a three-week complex multi-plaintiff personal injury jury trial before Judge Altonaga, and, even though my side did not prevail, I have nothing but good things to say about this judge. Her demeanor, temperament, and control of the courtroom were all excellent throughout. Her rulings, even the ones I disagreed with, were thoughtful and well-reasoned.

Other

Comment #: 4572
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
I'd like to know where the previous poster went to school with Judge Altonaga. Kindergarten?

Other

Comment #: 4382
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
I WENT TO SCHOOL WITH MS. ALTONAGA.iT DOES NTO SURPRISE SHE ENDED UP IN PUBLIC SERVICE. aLWAYS WAS TEH POLITICALLY CORRECT STUDENT. I think WE NEED BETTER JUDGES THAN THAT. People with convictions who are not afraid to say what they really feel and not hide between politics or law.

Other

Comment #: 3836
Rating:9.0
Comments:
I believe if you give her the facts and the case law she will work with it. She is a fair judge but has not been in the hot seat for many years. She favors the government which is the most corrupt but will go that extra mile if she has issues to work with. Needs to stay away from the guidelines but tends to stay between them and of course are only advisable. In her heart she believes they are way too harsh but would rather continue her normal routine.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: 3572
Rating:5.2
Comments:
Judge Altonaga is certainly smart, but too often sides with the government on sentencing issues. I have never seen her do anything out of the ordinary; she goes by the guidelines and does not give great discounts for cooperators.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 2424
Rating:9.3
Comments:
A judge's judge. Fair, listens, pleasant.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: 2169
Rating:1.8
Comments:
a bad judge. Did not disclose serious conflict of interest. verbally abusive.

Civil Litigation - Govt.

Comment #: 1946
Rating:10.0
Comments:
Smartest, fairest judge in town.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: 1601
Rating:6.3
Comments:
I don't how the prior reviewer could give this judge such high marks. Anyway, she's middle of the road in many respects. In many others, she favors the government (usually).