"The Robing Room: CA State Judges

Hon. Elaine Lu	See Rating Details
Judge Superior Court
Los Angeles County	See Comments

Attorney Average Rating: 3.9 - 19 rating(s) Non-Attorney Average Rating: 2.0 - 7 rating(s)	Please send me alerts on this judge E-mail Address:

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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. Elaine Lu

Comments

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA54138
Rating:1.9

Comments:
I regret not 170.6-ing her when I had the chance. Please, someone give her three highly experienced law clerks, a court staff that isn't grossly incompetent and wildly unprofessional, and a clean courtroom. Discovery? Don't bother with motions, she won't enforce it any more than she will her own orders. Trial dates are firm? Expect six trial continuances minimum. Because she does not enforce her own orders, her cases pile up, and she can't manage the workload. NEVER walk in there without a court reporter, preferably in-person, because she counts on having no record. Always double check the minute orders - the names and dates will be wrong. She can also be truly abusive and demeaning. She substitutes her own opinion for the law, makes assumptions that should be left for a jury, and puts her thumb on the scale whenever she feels like it - it can work for you or against you.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: CA52691
Rating:8.9

Comments:
I am a fan - she is a very good judge who really does care about getting things right. Surprised her ruling is low on this website.

Litigant

Comment #: CA52676
Rating:1.0

Comments:
I would’ve given Zero star if there’s selection. Elaine Lu is a such disgrace to the United States judicial system [Redacted by Ed.] and should be investigated. remove her from the bench is a must. We shouldn’t tolerate a judge who ruins people's lives. Please join Petition!

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA52296
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Racist jurist who threw out a jury verdict for conversion (i.e., theft) and for punitive damages (12-0) for an Asian female attorney who she appeared totally enamored with. Refused to dismiss a prospective juror who was Asian and could not speak or understand English proclaiming the prospective juror understands about 75%. Gave more weight to the Asian attorney's law clerk, who was a documented tax cheat and refused admission to the California Bar, than to a 41-year trial attorney who was a past president of a local bar association. Always placed case at end of calendar (even when told attorney had oral argument before the Ct of Appeal) to conceal her rulings from the other attorneys who appeared before her. Constantly complained from the bench about how frequently she was reversed by the Court of Appeal.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA47319
Rating:1.0

Comments:
I agree she is the worst judge in Los Angeles Superior Court but we should report our complaints to "The Commission on Judicial Performance" to put an end to her bias and abuse. this independent state agency responsible for investigating complaints of judicial misconduct and judicial incapacity and for disciplining judges, pursuant to article VI, section 18 of the California Constitution. Please stop complaining and do something about it

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA46703
Rating:1.0

Comments:
170.6! Intellectually dishonest, demonstrably biased, sneaky, and untrustworthy.
Disregarded the jury's verdict, which included punitive damages (12-0). Prior to that, she played every game in the book to undermine the case.
Avoid disappointment - Avoid.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA41809
Rating:2.5

Comments:
Makes everything more difficult that it needs to be. Absolutely on the 107.6 list.

Other

Comment #: CA36172
Rating:1.0

Comments:
If she is so honorable - why did she convict an African-American woman of "lynching" after Gov Jerry Brown had already removed the term from the California Penal Code in 2015? I'm sure I already know the answer...

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA35822
Rating:2.6

Comments:
She is on my permanent 170.6. She has no business on the bench. Is unreasonable, rigid, does not evaluate cases big picture and will not use discretion in her assessments.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA33070
Rating:10.0

Comments:
I've appeared before Judge Lu multiple times. Sometimes she has ruled against me and sometimes she has ruled in my favor. Regardless, I have always felt that she has been fair to both sides and has made the correct rulings and applies the law fairly.

She is an excellent judge who is patient, reviews the filings and motions thoroughly, is fair, is appropriately forgiving to counsel for both sides, quickly and instinctively understands how to resolve issues necessary to keep her docket moving forward. And she is truly interested in law. She is truly one of the good ones in the LA Superior Court.

I also think it's important to point out that Judge Lu's judicial assistant, staff, clerks, and overall team are highly professional, friendly, and have a realistic and down to earth approach.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA29254
Rating:10.0

Comments:
I've been a trial and appellate litigator for over 20 years, and I am intimately familiar with many Los Angeles Superior Court judges. Judge Lu is the gold standard for the Los Angeles Superior Court. She is thoughtful and diligent. She looks to determine and fairly apply the law and is not afraid to grant dispositive motions where the law so requires. Frankly, she should be sitting on the Court of Appeal. I'm mystified by the negative ratings, which only go to show you that you can't believe everything you read on the internet. If you are assigned to Judge Lu, keep her. She's the cream of the crop.

Litigant

Comment #: CA29130
Rating:1.0

Comments:
She spreads the virus... of incompetence. Be careful of spillover infections. Slow down the virus infections. Practice social distancing.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA24556
Rating:1.6

Comments:
Should not be on the civil bench. Does not know the Rules of Court. Easily offended if you say the slightest thing she doesn't agree with. Never on time. Onerous FSC rules with no flexibility. Is on my permanent 170.6 list.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA23884
Rating:10.0

Comments:
No idea how she gets bad reviews. We recently litigated a series of complex Demurrers and she issued lengthy tentative rulings and engaged in thoughtful discussion at oral argument. Very industrious and balanced judge. You could do alot worse at Stanley Mosk.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA19868
Rating:1.5

Comments:
Judge Lu is now sitting in unlimited civil in Dept. 26 at Stanley Mosk. It's immediately apparent upon observing her courtroom that she has zero civil experience or understanding of civil practice. It's concerning. She's far outside of her area of expertise but doesn't realize it. I would ding her in future cases.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: CA13640
Rating:2.0

Comments:
Dullwiited The lights are on, but no one is home. Could find her way out of a paper bag.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA13332
Rating:1.3

Comments:
Kangaroo Lu courts gonna kangaroo Lu.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA13233
Rating:2.6

Comments:
This judge is a disgrace as a Harvard graduate and to the Judicial System. She absolutely hates pro per litigants and totally biased against them.
This is how she ruled on a discovery motion against me and sanctioned me where I had brought up a motion to compel for lack of service where the party itself had served the responses (CCP 1013(a) prohibits parties from serving papers and must be done by non party), and where the declaration was incorrectly dated. Judge Lu stated, "Well, you have received the responses what is wrong with it?" totally disregarding CCP 1013(a).

Other

Comment #: CA13232
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
This judge is scared to do what's right. She isn't one to make decisions before she is sure which way the wind is blowing.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA13227
Rating:2.8

Comments:
An idiot. Nice, hard working, but an absolute moron. How she passed the bar is a mystery...how she got appointed is a scandal.

Litigant

Comment #: CA12843
Rating:1.0

Comments:
This judge makes other judges look good. Does not inspire confidence in the judicial system.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: CA12617
Rating:1.0

Comments:
This judge does not read.

Other

Comment #: CA12616
Rating:1.0

Comments:
This judge does not read. Fake. Emotional, not rational.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA12349
Rating:7.7

Comments:
This judge reads everything! Many do not. More than often they do not.
Her tentatives are elaborate. Again, I've seen lots of judges tentatives say "denied". Nothing else.
Done quite a bit of L&M with her and don't agree on many matters but the work ethic is there and after 36 years I am sad to say there are not many of these hard working judges left. Get her out of limited jurisdiction with less than 1000 cases and all pro pers.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: CA10461
Rating:4.0

Comments:
In her haste to lighten what is admittedly a heavy case load, Judge Lu denies almost every ex parte request to advance a hearing date that is closer than the current FIVE MONTH BACKLOG on the CRS. I have seen her reject more than 10 such requests during 5 days I spent at her 1:30 pm law and motion ex parte time. It is a travesty. Her complete disregard for the legitimate serious adversity established by a party through admissible evidence is shocking. She has Violated Canons 1, 2, and 3 in my case.

Litigant

Comment #: CA9875
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Very partial judge who is biased against the pro se litigants. She has deliberately made an erroneous, unjust ruling despite the governing statutes and controlling authorities.

Litigant

Comment #: CA9494
Rating:8.0

Comments:
Very fair judge. At least she takes the time to read the motions and decide upon it.