"The Robing Room: MD State Judges

Hon. Paul A. Hackner	See Rating Details
Circuit Judge Circuit Court
Anne Arundel County 5th Circuit	See Comments

Attorney Average Rating: 8.5 - 8 rating(s) Non-Attorney Average Rating: 2.0 - 6 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. Paul A. Hackner

Comments

Other

Comment #: MD5040
Rating:9.0

Comments:
Though the outcome was not as we desired, we can appreciate and respect that Judge Hackner operated impartially and fairly. At least in our experience. Considered all evidence, fact finding, applicable law, testimony and honors proper conduct and legal procedures. Cases are won and lost every month. Even so, having a judge who regards law and precedent and facts with loyalty regarding both parties is honorable regardless of outcome.

Unfortunately, Harris presides in the antithesis and lacks loyalty in all categories mentioned above. Two very different Judges with opposite conduct and ethics.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD2240
Rating:9.3

Comments:
One of the two finest judges I have encountered in three decades.

Other

Comment #: MD1733
Rating:2.0

Comments:
Hackner is either pretending to be a judge or he's a moron. Who would give robbers a 4yr sentence and a murderer a 1 yr 1 day sentence but Hackner? Maybe if the criminals he lets off with a slap was to go live at his house, he might change his mind on how he sentences. Can a judge be impeached. He needs to go. Hack Hackner from the bench!

Other

Comment #: MD1553
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Hackner is great if you are a rapist or a serial false accuser. Spineless and incompetent in my opinion. Apparently, I share that opinion with many others. If you're a sociopath, serial false accuser, or a rapist, then come on out to Anne Arundel County.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD1362
Rating:9.2

Comments:
Excellent judge. I would echo the sentiments expressed in the last set of comments. Probably the best judge I have encountered from a criminal pretrial standpoint.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD1212
Rating:8.8

Comments:
Hackner is a good judge. He is smart, even tempered and knows the law. He is fair. He is polite to people in his courtroom. He does the right thing to the best of his ability and doesnt care if people agree or not. No one gets it right all the time. At least he tries and I think he generally does very well. He is an example of what a good judge is.

Other

Comment #: MD1157
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Locked a person up w/ no bail on the testimony of a false witness, causing the person to lose their home and career. This was a productive member of society w/ no prior record. The person was subsequently convicted of a misdemeanor offense, but still lost it all.

Hackner is another judge more concerned with his career than the lives he destroys. He apparently doesn't have the intelligence or the integrity to get to the truth of a matter. He told a person, who had many character witnesses present on their behalf, that they're probably a nice person, but they obviously have a "dark side." Then, I read in The Capital that he used the same "dark side" line on someone else. I think Hackner and some of the members of the SAO are the ones with dark sides for screwing up innocent people's lives, but taking it easy on habitual child predators. The lame "dark side" line is obviously some generic term he uses for justifying being an incompetant judge and blowing smoke when he's not smart enough to see through false witness' claims! Maybe Hackner should consider that when he's looking himself in the mirror, grooming his cheesy moustache!

Other

Comment #: MD1136
Rating:1.0

Comments:
As a citizen of Anne Arundel County, I find it extremely disturbing that Judge Hackner imposes such laughable, lenient sentences on offenders. I also find it telling that the people who love Judge Hackner are the criminal defense attorneys. His weak sentences make a mockery of the judicial system and do a grave disservice to the public and crime victims. He needs to be held accountable.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD1118
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Are you serious? He is one of the best????? He lets baby killers go, how can that be one of the best? Most of the judges in AA county are a JOKE!

Other

Comment #: MD1010
Rating:2.0

Comments:
In the Gregory Christy case, to have not sentenced an elementary school teach found guilty of possessing child porn to ANY jail time is hard to fathom, and an invitation for him to continue to be a risk to children.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD975
Rating:9.1

Comments:
Judge Hackner is exactly what a judge should be. Very even temperament. Not full of himself. Understands the human condition and does not simply buckle under to a prosecutor like many of his colleagues on the AA County bench. He is a true gentleman who expects the litigants to be prepared and will not hesitate to jump on a lawyer who is making an unreasonable argument or being unfair. He is a Judge that can be counted on to handle the most difficult of criminal cases in a fair and even handed way and without being swayed by emotion or the press. From a defense lawyer's perspective, every county needs a Paul Hackner to keep the bench on an even keel and move difficult cases. He will have no hesitation in meting out tough sentences in the appropriate case, but if your client has nything going for him, he will get a really fair ride with Judge Hackner.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD722
Rating:8.4

Comments:
One of the better judges, but he can be full of himself. As long as you let him think he is the smartest guy in the room you don't have a problem. He tries to be fair and generally is.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD152
Rating:9.9

Comments:
Handles lengthy complex jury trial with decisiveness and with adequate concern for jurors. (e.g. 7 day trial going to jury on a Thursday, concluding on Friday).
Provided each side with more than asdequate time to present arguments at bench during trial; was particularly openly understanding of Plaintiff who overshot trial estimate by 100%, not concluding plaintiff's case until end of 5 1/2 days, a matter of great concern to the jury.

I have been in front of Judge Hackner numerous times over the years and find him to have a superior judicial temperment.

He is the finest judge on the Anne Arundel County bench.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD62
Rating:9.6

Comments:
I have been in front of Judge Hackner numerous times. He is one of the best judges on the Anne Arundel County bench.