"The Robing Room: CA State Judges

Hon. Elia Ortiz	See Rating Details
Judge Superior Court
Napa County	See Comments

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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)

Comments

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What others have said about Hon. Elia Ortiz

Comments

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA36288
Rating:1.0

Comments:
This is exactly why identity politics is so harmful to a system of justice. Judge Ortiz' racially motivated hatred and bias and unfairness makes a total mockery of the courtroom, any evidentiary hearing, and harms the public and innocent. There is no decency to be found in her courtroom.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA35734
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Judge Ortiz is so high-handed she doesn't even look at those who appear before her. She looks down at her desk when you are speaking or when she is speaking to you. So to her, she lets you know you are no one important. She is superior to all who appear before her.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA19109
Rating:1.1

Comments:
Ortiz is an arrogant, hateful, insulting, pompous, severely biased, unfair, hostile, nasty judge who talks over the top of parties, never waiting for an answer. Without any personal knowledge or evidence, she will call a party a "liar". She is demeaning and vicious, a total racist. If you are not Hispanic, you need to CCP Section 170.6 challenge and eliminate this unjust, prejudiced official. So pompous is she, so ignorant of applicable law and due process, she will likely forget to let your party even enter a plea. Napa County was so desperate for a token token, they really scraped the bottom of the barrel in every way with this awful, unjust, severely prejudiced choice. No justice to be found in her courtroom. I was surprised at how little she actually knew of any relevant laws. She is so unprofessional, she'll speak so you cannot hear her on purpose. You request she repeat what she said, and she'll speak even more softly. Very nasty. Do everything you can to avoid this horrid judicial officer.

Litigant

Comment #: CA8869
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Sadly Judge Ortiz represents the worst of society and the justice system. Clearly she feels entitled to ignore common sense, avoid the law, and choose a side quickly with no basis. Even when presented with case law and mounds of factual evidence, she chooses to ignore and chart her own path. Her failure to even read evidence is shocking. Allowing court room theatrics and preference to favored attorneys is truly hard to stomach. The net result is a utter devastation - families and dreams squashed by her ignorance. Its truly hard to understand how she can be on the bench and why she feels above the law.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA8837
Rating:1.0

Comments:
I appeared before her several years ago. Arrogant. Rude. Wasn't about to let the law or facts interfere with her pre-determined outcome. avoid at all costs.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA8696
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Can't rate this judge without the option of putting a minus before the number. Everything said in prior comments were absolutely accurate. This is a person that is fundamentally unfit to be a judge and will leave you feeling the justice system must either be rigged or just plain stupid. Appearing before her with an attorney will help. Forget trying to defend yourself--her eyes glaze over.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA8382
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Judge Ortiz is a terrible judge. She is biased, uneducated, and makes it clear that she doesn't care what the law is - if she decides she doesn't like you, then she will make decisions devastating to families and children. She is the worst judge I have ever seen in over 20 years of practice. She should not be on the bench. She does not have the temperament or the intelligence to handle the position.
her petty vindictiveness is legendary in the Napa Courts in just the two years she has been inflicted on the local legal community.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA8363
Rating:1.3

Comments:
Creative. Likes to make her own decisions rather than follow application of law. Does not like legal arguments or points and authorities challenging any statement she may have made. Prefers to be quick and expeditious. Doesn't want to be briefed on the law and facts in a case. Wants to dispose of quickly. Has absolutely no tolerance or respect for self-represented party.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA8362
Rating:1.5

Comments:
Elia Ortiz handles the master calendar and family law matters in Napa County. She handles the calendar by postponing matters to another appearance or hearing. Even uncontested, simple issues - she will dismiss a self-represented party and give them some insignificant task to complete and then returning to court. In hearing cases - she favors a party with atty. over one without and where both are represented -she telegraphs threats to counsel to dissuade legitimate legal points if it will cause delay in her court. She regularly denies 170.6 challenges and decides them herself making it clear that there will be a price to pay for the challenge and the delay in the proceedings.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA7621
Rating:2.4

Comments:
I gave her 1s only because I couldn't give her zeros. She had no idea how to handle a civil lit matter, but that didn't keep her from acting like she did. it was a travesty.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA4716
Rating:1.1

Comments:
This judge was appointed into the realm of handling complex, contentious family law cases, even though her entire background is in criminal defense. She is also the most junior judge, having served less than a year as of January 2014. If you're assigned this judicial officer, make sure that you have an attorney representing you, as clearly she has no understanding of family law and lacks the ability to properly control her courtroom.