"The Robing Room: CA State Judges

Hon. Cheri T. Pham	See Rating Details
Judge Superior Court
Orange County	See Comments

Attorney Average Rating: 6.0 - 7 rating(s) Non-Attorney Average Rating: 1.0 - 3 rating(s)	Please send me alerts on this judge E-mail Address:

Add your own rating

E-Mail Address ()

* *

Confirm E-mail Address

* * *

Zip

Occupation

Add a comment only

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

Please type what you see below:

Not an even number!

What others have said about Hon. Cheri T. Pham

Comments

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA31453
Rating:2.8

Comments:
Judge Pham is unfair and is clearly biased toward the victims side. In my case she even went so far as to allow the DA to question about possible STD contraction in order to prove stalking. She also allowed other evidence in despite valid objections. Overall, this judge doesn't pay any respect to the legal process. Her obvious bias was apparent through her demeanor and her tendency to side with whatever the DA set forth within a matter of seconds. This judge should either begin to preside over cases evenhandedly or step down from the bench.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA31067
Rating:1.0

Comments:
It is difficult for me to put down words without swearing. A horrible egocentric judge. So wrapped up in herself and her power that she is blind. Treats witnesses like criminals and blames others for her own mistakes. “Awful,” is her best attribute.

Other

Comment #: CA29140
Rating:1.0

Comments:
An absolute soulless and Heartless

Litigant

Comment #: CA28163
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
this Is a Dishonest Judge Who Will Hurt You. You are Done If You Get Her

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: CA24350
Rating:10.0

Comments:
Probably one of the most even-tempered Judges on the bench, which translates into her running a courtroom as professionally and neutrally as any Judge possibly could.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: CA23987
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Absolutely the worst person I have ever came across in my entire life. PREJUDICE is an understatement.... POS

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA11261
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Terrible judge in a DV-Family Law case involving children. Just awful

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: CA8918
Rating:9.5

Comments:
excellent; let's lawyers present their cases; listens; precise; insightful; patient; her decisions are written and read which is lovely, not rambling like many judges; highly respected. I find some male judges sexist (hidden of course). Pham is extremely fair and even handed as far as sex of parties and lawyers.

Litigant

Comment #: CA7788
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
I’m not saying Judicial Cheri Pham is a bad judge. I’m sure in some case she does make fair decisions. I was just saying in some cases, most specifically in my DV case, she didn’t. The stance of “not wanting to be a headline” goes against the very premise of a trial. You’re basically saying the defense in a DV case is “guilty without a chance of being proven innocent.” If someone is a nutcase and is going to “massacre” someone, a restraining order is not going to stop it. All because a judge orders a restraining order against someone doesn’t mean they can’t kill someone. That’s a horrific misconception by a Judge to assume that or to rule in the favor of fear rather than truth. In fact, if the order is grossly unfair, it may cause someone to be upset enough to actually kill someone. In my case I never laid a single finger on the so called “victim”. There was no threat to the “victim’s” safety ever made that would cause her to fear a reason to. In my case the “victim” was cheating on her husband and instead of being honest about it decided to lie to discredit me and Cheri Pham bought it hook, line and sinker which led me to believe, since my hearing was moved to her courtroom and heard in a private setting for some reason, that I received a grossly unfair trial and she knew someone.
It’s innocent before proven guilty in this country and it applies to ALL cases. Evidence is needed to prove one’s guilt or innocence in a trial, and not just hearsay. Some women are using orders as swords instead of shields to get back at their ex-lovers, as in my case, and that’s not just. The “victim” is often times not the “victim” but the instigator. The risk of someone getting killed in a DV case is still present even if a restraining order is issued. It’s just a court order, and does nothing to prevent a nut from committing such an heinous act. That’s the truth.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: CA7759
Rating:9.0

Comments:
I found Judge Pham to make several defense appropriate rulings from the get-go, in a very serious and difficult case. 4 strike offenses plead, client was a 2 striker already and had spent more than half in life in Prison. I do think Judge Pham never in her wildest dreams believed It would be a defense verdict, so she felt safe -- but it WAS a defense verdict and her comments made it clear she felt defendant should have been found guilty. Nonetheless, she struck a strike for the purposes of sentencing when I challenged the proof of his age at the time. She is a cold, linear thinker, with no sense of humor about her in her work... at least not with a defense person present.
Oddest to me was that whenever I argued for something she tilted her head and scrunched up her face pretending (I truly believe, pretending) she could NOT understand a word I said. Like I was nutty and incomprehensible. Yeah, I was so nutty I got 12 NG verdicts, one hung 11 to 1 in defense favor. Guilt only as to a misdemeanor and a nonstrike - THAT was when I saw fangs and heard venom spew.
Do I trust her in trial though... I have to say absolutely YES, and frankly that is all that matters.
As to the comments I read... those DV cases take judges down, forever. Anyone not restrained or punished by a DV judge can cause the judge to be a headline after the future massacre... and removed from the bench. NO judge wants a DV calendar. Every case is as dangerous to their livelihood as the lives of those involved. I would never judge a judge on those kinds of cases, they are not like anything else. Ask Judge Lemkau.
So for Judge Pham, you may not have FUN in trial, but you will get an honest and industrious judge. Just beware of sentencing.

Litigant

Comment #: CA7417
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
I was wondering when the day would come when someone else experienced what I did in Cheri Pham’s courtroom. I totally believe you are a fair person and so am I. I would never state things in a public forum that I believed were unfair to someone, especially someone like a Judge. For comparisons sake, I heard a story of a man who sat on top of his girlfriends, pinned her arms under his knees, and pummeled her in the face mercilessly yet he only received a 3 year restraining order. I tried to appeal the order but unfortunately I was in dire financial straits and filed it 22 days past the deadline.
To make a longer story short, I have learned subsequently, my ex’s husband sat on the California State Assembly and owned a business whose client was the City of Long Beach Prosecutor’s office. I believe this business relationship was established between the years 1997-2007. You don’t get this type of client unless you know someone. During the years 1997-2007, Cheri Pham was a Criminal prosecutor for the Orange County District Attorney’s office. Not to mention, Cheri has a husband who was a Deputy D.A. as well. I believe somewhere there is someone my ex’s husband knew who knew Cheri Pham through their days as city prosecutors as I’m sure the link between Orange County and Long Beach could easily be bridged. Even though I could never prove it, the fact my case was heard in a private setting, I received a 5 year restraining order for responding to a text message sent to me (no physical or threatened physical violence whatsoever) that Cheri Pham did a favor for someone. Thank God for forums like this because it’s the only way I could fight back, but I would be very wary of this Judge if you ever get her. She does not make informed decisions, she could care less about a justice system, she allows people to lie in her courtroom, and she is discriminatory.

Litigant

Comment #: CA7309
Rating:2.0

Comments:
Judge Pham burned out of family court. Thank heavens. I agree with the other reviewer about her stance on domestic violence. I consider myself a fair person and I am rating her with as much as an open mind as possible. I was falsely accused. She reviewed my case with overwhelming evidence suggesting no domestic violence. Ex committed blatant perjury on the stand. When it came to make a ruling she took a spineless approach in making a decision to force both parties to stipulate to a non-clets restraining order dismissing any vindication due to me in court. I've been told this is status quo with most judges. They are fearful of making any bad judgments that may come back to haunt them professionally even if it was the right thing to do. In addition she fell asleep during the hearing and had to have the court reporter read back testimony. Its a good thing that she burned out quickly in family law. Can we bring in some judges with common sense, morals and a spine? I think she is in criminal court now. Poor souls that have their case heard before her in criminal court.

Prosecutor

Comment #: CA5943
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
This judge is terrible when it comes to handling domestic violent cases. She hears from the victim and assumes they are telling the truth. She is an absolute psychotic judge who has no idea what the bills of rights is, and shits on the grave of every man and woman who had died for this country if she allows victims to lie, even ones who she is aware has demonstrated a history of deceiving others. To hand out a five year restraining order to someone who has never laid a finger on any of the parties is sick in the head, and has no idea what domestic violence truly is.

Other

Comment #: CA4647
Rating:1.0

Comments:
She is a very unfair judge. The Honorable Judge Pham is a joke. My ex got everything, and I got nothing. She got the house with all the equity, both of my businesses (one of which I brought to the marriage and the other of which was established during the marriage). She was able to sell one of my cars and keep the other, with no consequences. Watch out for this judge. I'm sure my ex-wife would rate this judge a 10.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: CA4561
Rating:8.8

Comments:
One of the top two or three family court judges I have been in front of. I only hope she doesn't burn out like many of our older burn-outs (i.e. Judges Vogl and Wilson). She really wants to make fair, carefully thought out decisions that benefit the parties and their children.