"The Robing Room: MD State Judges

Hon. Louis A. Becker, III	See Rating Details
Associate Circuit Judge Circuit Court
Howard County 5th Circuit	See Comments

Attorney Average Rating: 6.5 - 8 rating(s) Non-Attorney Average Rating: 1.0 - 15 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. Louis A. Becker, III

Comments

Other

Comment #: MD9391
Rating:2.0

Comments:
Terrible Judge. He is single minded and will not see past his own ego. I have to sue him in federal and state court for his ruling in a matter I was part of. I share the other comments below regarding how bad he is.

Litigant

Comment #: MD8334
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Ruined the lives of all 4 of my children. They are all adults, now. Finally! But I spent over 20 years in front of Becker fighting to keep my kids in my life and give them stability. He always ruled in favor of the Father, who only wanted custody so he would not pay child support. My children were given to the Father, I struggled to stay in their lives and support myself. As adults, they have emotional problems due to the estrangement from me as babies and through young adulthood. Becker told me that in his court room, he is the law and no one can tell him what to do. Becker is a very scary man. Very. Completely destroyed my life and screwed up my kids. May he someday feel the kind of pain that my family has suffered. After spending a small fortune defending myself in his court... I don't have money to send my son to college & need to move from Howard County. Nightmare has finally ended, though.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD8267
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Judge Louis Becker violated the civil rights of a black man who was not on probation his probation has been abated by the circuit court judge gelfman and are regardless of the fact he incarcerated an innocent citizen for over 7 months

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD4501
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Judge Becker believes that since he has been on the bench for so long, that he knows all the answers. His focus is not on the best interest of the children. It is all about himself.

Other

Comment #: MD2345
Rating:1.0

Comments:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFHvfxU6Ink&sns=em

Other

Comment #: MD2338
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Moms Fighting Howard County Court Corruption, check out our facebook, website and twitter for the physical violence this judge propagates.

Other

Comment #: MD2254
Rating:1.0

Comments:
He condones physical abuse and stalking by a husband directed at a wife, and does nothing to protect the victim of such violence. He needs to be taken off the bench.

Litigant

Comment #: MD2194
Rating:10.0

Comments:
He was very understanding of my situation. I was a defendant in a medical marijuana case, and I cannot stress enough how impressed I was with his verdict and civility.

Other

Comment #: MD2131
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
I couldn't believe that Judge Becker was convinced by Ms. Cummins that breast reconstruction for a breast cancer victim was "elective surgery." (State law mandates that health insurance companies provide coverage for reconstructive breast surgery due to breast cancer treatment, including coverage for all stages of reconstructive breast surgery performed. This law enables women to explore reconstructive options without being concerned about health insurance coverage). Judge Becker believed Ms. Cummins and gave the courtroom over to her. He decreed that the mother leave the marital home and go to her parents' home to recuperate from her "elective" surgery. She would have preferred to go back to her home to recuperate, but Ms. Cummins said that the father should move back in (he left the marital home for another woman). Then when the children asked why their mother did not come home, they were told that their mother did not want them. I am so disillusioned, because I want to believe that if Judge Becker knew the truth about the character and morals of this father, he would not have let Ms. Cummins persuade him to give the children to this father, who is not a good role model. If Ms. Cummins had done a background check, she would have seen "red flags" (an abusive husband, a liar, a S.E.C. investigation, lawsuits, travels to the Caymans, the Isle of Man, Guernsey, the Cook Islands, etc.), but it was obvious that Ms. Cummins knew the father's attorney well and that she had been charmed by this man.Ms. Cummins might be a good B.I.A., but she has made a mistake in this case, and swayed Judge Becker. If she truly cared, the children would be in counseling. I want to believe that the truth always prevails, but not when you have a Ms. Cummins in court, and judges who believe her. The mother has made mistakes, but nothing compared to those that this father has made, and the children are the ones who are hurting. I hope that Judge Becker will hear the facts next time and do what is best for all parties, especially the children.

Litigant

Comment #: MD1837
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Amazing. People either hate him or they love him. A good Judge is generally neither loved nor hated. Which speaks VOLUMES as to how things go in his court room.

I've been living in his court room for a long long time now, and I've seen many other cases before him.

And what I see is a Judge who makes up his mind within the first minutes of a hearing. Once that is done, he picks a side and stays on that side to assist the attorney and/or party he has predetermined that will prevail. If this means he has to violate state statutes, court rules, the United States Constitution, and or Maryland's Constitution so be it. He's going to insure an outcome that he has determined one way or the other.

In any event, his 70th Birthday is approaching sometime soon, and for the sake of Marylander's let's hope the Court of Appeals does not permit him to be a guest judge for sixth months of the year.....

So, if you are wise, avoid his court room. Do you best to settle out of court. With this judge it is Winner Take all in Family Court, and he picks the winner in the first five minutes.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD1641
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
To the poster below who decided to accuse me of writing TWO ratings on 8/27/12 and complained that a couple of people spoke positively about Judge Becker and therefor must be reviews planted to "dilute" the impact of poor ratings. However, I do find it interesting that you express concerns about those wrongly diluting the opinions of others while you took the opportunity to write those TWO ADDITIONAL opinions on 8/28 and rate him as a 1.0 in each. That leads me to believe that it is YOU who is unfairly diluting the ratings of others.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1575
Rating:10.0

Comments:
There is no judge who tries harder to get the right result than Judge Becker. While many attorneys believe he handles matters slowly, I would say that he handles matters methodically. He is learned and balanced. He obviously cares about the litigants in each case before him. It is rare that Judge Becker has to make truly difficult decisions, as the parties virtually always have the ability to limit the involvement of the Courts through mediation and alternative dispute resolution. Judge Becker recognizes this and does his best to not only follow the law, but he tries to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. There are some judges who love to make decisions regardless of the outcome on the parties. That is not Judge Becker's style. He is not a "punishing" judge, and he is not a strictly "rules" judge. He knows exactly when to judge and when to apply equity. It is a pleasure to appear before him.

Prosecutor

Comment #: MD1436
Rating:8.9

Comments:
I practive in multiple juristictions and have been before Judge Becker on several occassions (mostly criminal, a few civil). I found his temperment to be even and often fair. I have won trials based upon his findings, lost a few, plead a few and often thought his approach was fair. He has always considered the mitigating factors in passing judgments in my cases. Can't say I'd dodge him...although I am not a regular in Howard, in my earlier days I had cases in HoCo on a regular basis and got to know the members of the bench and a pretty good read on there approaches and temperment; never walked away too upset, regardess of the result. Sometimes sitting in judgment and making decisions can be difficult...I am neither a political friend, crony or Ellicott City regular...just an attorney who has been before the Court with J. Becker and never got the vibe I read here today. Must have been a tough case with a bad result. Unfortunatly, it happens when cases go to trial and a decision has to be made for the litigants.

Other

Comment #: MD1434
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Correction: There were EIGHT of us who posted low scores before these three biased postings, possibly Becker or staff doing the posting! Check it out: one was posted late Sunday evening, the next two within an hour of each other on Monday AM. This is TYPICAL of the games he and his many corrupt peers play.

Other

Comment #: MD1433
Rating:1.0

Comments:
As rarely as any new postings are made to this site, I find it very interesting that these three postings were all made within a 2 day period. It appears this is not from an objective source while intended to help dilute the opinions of three of us who came before and gave Becker the low grades he deserves. You can claim he is fair and that we don't know of what we speak. Actually, it would be you who have not witnessed Becker's corrupt side who do not know of what you speak! Most of the Howard County Circuit Court judges are corrupt. With guardianship cases there are favorite picks of the court to "represent" (a lie) the alleged disabled, but they make their money by billing the estate. The corruption is obvious when a qualified family member (such as a loving daughter) wishes to be caregiver and/or guardian and is denied. These are CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY. I know many across the country whose estates are being robbed by corrupt judges while the judges and the system devastate and abuse the elderly. WAKE the F UP!

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1431
Rating:9.8

Comments:
I have been a lawyer practicing throughout the DC/Baltimore Region for nearly 20 years and have been in front of Judge Becker on a number of occasions. I have won on some of those occasions and I have lost on others, but in each instance I can say that my client got a fair shake from a judge that listened to the facts and applied the law after careful consideration.

I am a bit taken aback by some of the comments of the "litigants." Most cases have winners and losers and often the losers are angry at the judge that did not find in their favor -- especially in cases involving domestic/child custody issues. When it comes to ratings by litigants, I am a bit skeptical of their ability to be objective.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD1427
Rating:10.0

Comments:
I have been a criminal defense attorney for almost twenty years and have appeared before Judge Becker numerous times. He is a gentleman, a great Judge and an asset to the bench. He is even handed, hardworking and dedicated. He knows every aspect of criminal law including nuances in evidence and procedure. He is willing to do research and carefully consider counsel's arguments. I have tried cases before him in lieu of a jury. Many lawyers at MCDAA meetings state that he is often their first choice Judge.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1415
Rating:10.0

Comments:
Judge Becker is exceptionally bright and fair. He has a wonderful sense of humor. He has a keen understanding of complex legal issues and gives attorneys every opportunity to make their case. He often mentions his real life experiences to reach thoughtful and reasonable decisions. He remembers life as a private practitioner and is accommodating to scheduling conflicts. Judge Becker is a credit to the legal community by being active in many bar associations; teaching as an Adjunct Professor at the Univ. of Balt. Law School; and regularly mentoring new attorneys. Definitely one of my favorite Judges.

Litigant

Comment #: MD1139
Rating:1.0

Comments:
I have never seen a judge that talks so much and gives his opinion on things before he has even heard both side of the story.

Needless to say, he makes up his mind before he hears the case if one of his favorite lawyer friends is representing one party.

Until then, avoid his court room at all costs. You are likely to get caught up in expensive appeals process.

This means, if you win, you will be fighting an appeal, if you loose you will have plenty to appeal.

Litigant

Comment #: MD1049
Rating:1.0

Comments:
He was recused in 2007, after I filed a document siting "fraud on the court" and conflicts of interest. Take a look at any and all information, both, in the files of my parents, William and Ada Morris, as my online postings. People need to know what is going on in the Howard County Circuit Court!

Court Staff

Comment #: MD966
Rating:1.0

Comments:
I've never seen someone has vindictive as Judge Becker.

It seems that the only reason that he wants to be a judge is so that he can play god and destroy children's lives.

I pity the poor souls that have to suffer under him.

Litigant

Comment #: MD854
Rating:1.0

Comments:
There are bad judges, and then there is Judge Louis Becker.
How he ever passed the bar is beyond me. Unfortunately he is hear to stay. If you somehow get stuck with him, save your monies for the appeal process. For it is almost guaranteed that one of the parties will be seeking review of his judgments, unless they have an idiot for a lawyer.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD842
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Please contact me to discuss Judge Becker. I think he is a terrible Judge and something needs to be done.

Litigant

Comment #: MD841
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Hey, I just got finished being raked over the coals by Becker. Hey, contact me if you want to swap stories. I have an idea that I want to develop.

Litigant

Comment #: MD826
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Judge becker is one of those judges that has helped mold the stereotype that judges are arrogant and aren't really concerned about the lives of the litigants in his courtroom. He detests anyone who tries to point out any error on his part. I'm convinced that he doesn't like female attorneys. And he definitely doesn't care what is in the best interest of the children in divorce cases. He takes the easiest way to be rid of the case. Good luck if something interferes with his personal appointments, regardless of the court docket. The scary part is when he makes decisions based on comments of issues that were never even heard in court.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD715
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Judge Becker is late on a regular basis, in the morning, after lunch breaks and his "5 minute breaks" turn into 20-30 minutes on a regular basis. A trial before another Judge may take one day whereas the same trial before Judge Becker will take 3 days. Instead of really listening, he types on his computer or surfs the internet - who knows what he is doing up there. He makes arrogant comments about how he has been a Judge for 30 years so he knows so much. He interrupts attorneys on a regular basis. And in family cases, he seems to side with whatever person has worse behavior to the family - he is completely unfair. He also indicates before the case is over what his ruling might be, showing that he makes up his mind before he has even heard all of the evidence. There is no justice, efficiency, or fairness in Judge Becker's court room. I think he should be kicked off the bench, and I feel sorry for anyone who gets assigned to his case.