"The Robing Room: FL State Judges

Hon. Kathryn Nelson	See Rating Details
County Court
St. Lucie County 19th Circuit	See Comments

Attorney Average Rating: 7.1 - 4 rating(s) Non-Attorney Average Rating: 4.0 - 14 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. Kathryn Nelson

Comments

Court Staff

Comment #: FL7596
Rating:1.0

Comments:
This Judge sentenced me to one year in jail with no priors. Being a single mom of three she jeopardized my family by putting me in jail after a 16 hour trial for a simple battery which was false.
I filed an appeal she denied it. Next night she was arrested for DUI, property damage, resisting arrest, refusing breathalyzer ( which is usually a year in jail). I was disabled in jail , by a Judge who herself is on Zanex, and drunk. I’m going to object to her discipline due to the fact she shouldn’t be a Judge. She got special treatment because she was a state attorney Gov Scott you’ve got a bad egg. Terminate her how did she get 1000 fine and 50 hours of community service?

Court Staff

Comment #: FL7595
Rating:1.0

Other

Comment #: FL5810
Rating:10.0

Comments:
I was in Judge Nelson's courtroom as a
visitor twice (was there to show my
family that I was very upset with them
for bringing up my grandson the wrong
way - no discipline) and at first, be-
cause of her low voice and talking very
slowly, she looked like a "pushover" to
me. Little did I realize how smart/
talented, etc., etc., etc. she is.
She listens - and she listens - to the
defendants and let's them state their
case - and then, she does the RIGHT
THING. Yes, she made a mistake - but
haven't we All? She is teaching defen-
dants that if you do not follow the
rules she gives him/her, she is going
to SANCTION you, by putting you in jail.
I do not live in St. Lucie County, but
we need a judge like her in our
county. She is a great judge.

Other

Comment #: FL3579
Rating:1.0

Comments:
I have spent many hours watching Judge Nelson at work. Most of those hours were spent gritting my teeth and pining for a time and place where the justice system was truly fair and impartial. On top of her obvious pro-prosecution demeanor, her DUI case showed her true colors. She believes herself to be above the law. She is arrogant and does not belong on the bench.

Other

Comment #: FL3459
Rating:1.0

Comments:
She is about to get a dose of reality. The public is fed up with the preferential treatment of government officials and the self serving attitude of elected office holders. Nelson is not above the law and the wrist slap administered to her by the Florida Bar is a joke. No video of arrest, no mugshot for public humiliation delved out to mere peons, no consequences for her actions by the Florida Bar-now comes the public's turn to pass judgement-guilty as charged of being a drunk driving, obnoxious , xanax taking hypocrite. Sentence-lose your sweet gig and get back on the streets where you belong. Make a living the hard way

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: FL3388
Rating:9.9

Comments:
I have always found Judge Nelson to be well-prepared, and to be familiar with the pleadings or motions before the Court and the relevant law. I think that she is very dedicated, and realizes the effects that her rulings have on the people on both sides. Judge Nelson has ruled against my clients on more than one occasion, but I have always thought that she gave us a fair hearing, and that she waited until she heard the evidence and the law before she made a decision.

Other

Comment #: FL3040
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Biased towards the prosecution. Disrespectful to defense attorneys.

Other

Comment #: FL2690
Rating:1.0

Comments:
I think that this judge has degraded and tainted the court system with her arrogant and unethical behavour ralated to her DUI conviction. For a judge who refusing to cooperate with law enforcement when requested and who was obviously driving impaired to sit in judgement of other accused of the same is shameful.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: FL2132
Rating:5.4

Comments:
I feel sympathy for her current situation but feel it is probably time for her to do the right thing and step down. As a foreclosure judge she is out of her league and embarrassingly one sided. If you are a homeowner, you have no chance.

Other

Comment #: FL2019
Rating:1.0

Comments:
This judge has set a poor example for other jurist to follow. Should she really sit in judgement of people who are arrested for what she has done? She refused the sobriety test. She was belligerent with law enforcement. She did not have her xanax in the proper prescription container as required by Florida statutes. Should you Judge other people for substance abuse issues, Kathryn Nelson? I don't think so

Other

Comment #: FL1977
Rating:2.0

Comments:
Judge Nelson has emotional issues whether it simple self esteem or more insidious problems. It's apparent watching her in the courtroom performing duties as a judge. Her behavior ranges from gratuitous to flat out arrogance. She seems poorly informed or perhaps just intentionally dismissive about the society she is supposed to represent. Case in point is her harsh judgment of a young man recently returned from serving 8 years in Iraq/Afghanistan & being arrested on a very minor charge. Having been persuaded by the public defender to plead guilty and forgo a trial of his peers (which he should have done) he has the bad luck of having to appear before Judge Nelson. Nelson’s interaction toward this soldier was dismissive, unconcerned and patronizing. He obviously needed and deserved help from the society for which he has risked his life, been a witness to violent deaths & other horrors that are products of war. Rather than try to help this kid, Judge Nelson doles out an unjust sentence and as an afterthought does a rehearsed "thank you for serving" riff. She's been very clever in her ascent to the bench, hopefully in 2012 she will be made a single term judge and shuffled back to the prosecutors office or where ever she alighted from.

Court Staff

Comment #: FL1066
Rating:9.0

Comments:
Judge Nelson is a great judge. She makes informed decisions; she listens to both sides and does not favor the state. She takes into consideration all the elements in the case to come to a conclusion; she knows how to apply the law and interpret it. She makes one feel very comfortable in court.

Other

Comment #: FL1002
Rating:10.0

Comments:
She is a very fair person and listens to both sides. She gives everyone a chance to tell her what happened and the reason that they are in front of her. She is always in court. If you are a defendant consider yourself lucky to be in front of her. She is one of the best judges that St. Lucie County has to offer.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: FL994
Rating:3.9

Comments:
Judge Nelson still believes that she is employed by the State Attorney. Based upon her rulings, she has never parted with the State Attorney's Office. If you are a defendant, pray.

Litigant

Comment #: FL871
Rating:10.0

Comments:
Judge Nelson is an absolute pleasure to practice in front of. She treats people with respect and all that I have talked to enjoy the experience of practicing in her courtroom. She makes informed, knowledgeable, and well-reasoned rulings.