"The Robing Room: MD State Judges

Hon. Laura S. Kiessling	See Rating Details
Circuit Judge Circuit Court
Anne Arundel County 5th Circuit	See Comments

Attorney Average Rating: 5.5 - 14 rating(s) Non-Attorney Average Rating: 1.0 - 18 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. Laura S. Kiessling

Comments

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD9166
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Judge Kiessling/Ripkin is the worst judge. When I sent discovery to the pro se plaintiff (in a child custody case) I was unlawfully arrested (my ex was having an affair with an AA County Cop so he got me arrested) for violating a no-contact order. This was not a violation of a no-contact order. The attorneys in the self-help center told me I was allowed to send court documents. Kiessling/Ripkin held me without bond for 82 days. The state dropped the charges saying I did not violate a no-contact order. She asked for the State's recommendation and they said to release me. Kiessling/Ripkin did not agree with the State and held me another 71 days. (Over five months total). I spent 153 days in jail for a crime I did not commit. She should be removed from the bench!

Other

Comment #: MD7218
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
WORST JUDGE ON THE BENCH BY FAR! Lets real (illegal) criminals off the hook, while good, hard-working people have to do a weekend for minor driving violations. Hire a lawyer. Still get screwed. It is a lose lose.

Litigant

Comment #: MD7045
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
If you are doing well for yourself, she will knock you down and want to make you lose everything. If you’re a worthless pos, she will reach out and give you the world. Makes no sense.

Other

Comment #: MD7017
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Her rulings are inconsistent with normal rulings. Because of her absurd and abnormal ruling or shall I say rulings, I have now lost my job, can’t get another one, am on food stamps, unemployment insurance and state health insurance. Went from a 65k a year job to living on state funds. Way to go! Take a good tax paying citizen and take their entire life away from them for something SO completely minor. Rulings are completely abnormal and arbitrary. Don’t know how you sleep at night.

Other

Comment #: MD6874
Rating:1.0

Comments:
She is set out to completely ruin good peoples lives. She wants to put you on supervised probation for the $$ even if you don't have any prior history. She expects you to violate so she can threaten jail time. She needs to be removed from her position immediately. She has an abuse of power so strong it's affecting peoples livelihoods. Her ruling has caused me extreme amounts of anxiety and stress. I can barely function to go to work, if I don't get fired first from the potential violations and restrictions on my life. I can't eat, I can't sleep. Her ruling completely conflicted with normal rulings in the same situations. I think I am going to contact someone to look into all of her verdicts and see if she has any bias or discrimination. Everyone else should do the same.

Other

Comment #: MD6840
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Over 30 day response times to respond to petitions. Goes against the State's Attorney recommendations. She discriminates against women. Bias. Worst judge I have ever encountered. Not reasonable. Not understanding.

Other

Comment #: MD6745
Rating:1.0

Comments:
She must be stopped, indeed! She's a disgrace and embarrassment to the state of Maryland! Political Piggy!

Other

Comment #: MD6685
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Stop this politically misplaced judge. She should be removed for the bench and stipped of the law lic. Blames POTUS for death Illegal killing a Marine. The illegal ran because of POTUS is BS. Just like he needed a translator until the end of the trial when the spoke english. Stupid judge!

Litigant

Comment #: MD6674
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Its obvious the litigant making the posting below recently appeared before Judge K and wants to give the impression a male defendant didn't like her ruling. I'm sure Judge K is aware of your tricks by now. Nice try!

Other

Comment #: MD6520
Rating:1.0

Comments:
There is nothing "awesome" about her. She is horrible in every way. She is just another leech on the MD taxpayers.

Other

Comment #: MD6430
Rating:10.0

Comments:
She is awesome! I love her! She really looks out for the victims of serious crimes. The world needs more judges like her.

Other

Comment #: MD6246
Rating:1.0

Comments:
The saddest thing about this "judge" is that she is a woman with an opportunity to stop the oppression on litigants who've appeared before her abusive, male counterparts. Yet, not only does she not do anything to help, but in some cases, she's even worse. There are several old, white, male judge's in AA county who are blatant woman haters, Wachs, Harris and Klavens, specifically. She should be working to get them off the bench so that any litigants appearing in her courthouse can feel confident that the law and justice prevail. 2016 AA County is not the place for sexism and racism. If she won't clean things up, please vote her ass out of there. We certainly don't need a man without balls, which is what Kiessling has proven herself to be.

Litigant

Comment #: MD6023
Rating:1.0

Comments:
She is a horrible woman and horrible judge!

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD5953
Rating:7.8

Comments:
I have reviewed the comments, and this does not match the Judge I see. She mainly handles criminal matters, and in family law cases makes decisions on the best interest of the child(ren). Thus, men say she hates them, and women do as well. She can be a tough sentencer if your client is up for a crime of violence, but is normally very even tempered and demands proof based on the Rules of Evidence. A qualified jurist.

Litigant

Comment #: MD5918
Rating:1.0

Comments:
No, she is NOT am "excellent" judge. She is horrible just like the rest of the judges in AA county!

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD5872
Rating:10.0

Comments:
Excellent judge. I bet most of the negative comments are sour grapes.

Other

Comment #: MD5759
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Kiessling is another disgrace on the bench in AA County. She, like her male counter-parts, believes women are nothing but a uterus to provide for men. So, it isn't surprising that in her courtroom men automatically get custody. There is a clear war on women in the MD court system and it is time to take action!

Other

Comment #: MD5656
Rating:1.0

Comments:
I watched this Judge in court in which she gave preference to the "Charming" Defendant who has a history of DV. She awarded the defendant custody of a vulnerable child because the mother disciplined the child. The child had no marks or bruises, and the defendants mother's best friend testified. I saw the child after the alleged incident, I saw the mother with a broken nose twice, and can say she was a victim of DV. This Judge needs to go to DV training, she must of slept through her training when she was a Prosecutor. The particular defendant is a classic abuser, manipulates, threatens, uses his child, is charming and has an enabling family. She let him take parenting classed on line and made the mother take them with a parenting coach. I have nothing nice to say about her and can say I was a Child Protection Investigator and worked with victims of DV for over 20 years. She needs to stay out of DV and Child abuse court in the Civil area...she is clueless about real life.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD5556
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Arrogant, no compassion, no understanding, as if nothing in her life experience prepared her for this role, ie comes across as spoiled. Trying very hard to be seen as no nonsense and coming across as incompetent, dogmatic, demeaning and verging on cruel. Expect her to side not with the law or facts - but often with what looks "popular" - immature. Not fit.

Other

Comment #: MD5133
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Unknowledgeable Of current court decisions. Bias to men. Unreasonable. Overall experience in Anne Arundel Family Court was sickening and pathetic.

Probation or Pretrial Officer

Comment #: MD4828
Rating:2.0

Comments:
Looks like her personal friends are trying to improve her ratings on this site by their scripted 5 Star comments below. Pathetic when a Judge can't stand on their own record. Watched her numerous times in court as an observer. She's insecure, bias, and lacks common sense.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD3983
Rating:10.0

Comments:
Judge Kiessling’s intelligence and fair-mindedness are widely respected in all legal circles. She is exactly the type of judge we want on the bench.

Prosecutor

Comment #: MD3977
Rating:10.0

Comments:
Judge Kiessling is an smart, fair and knowleable Judge whose sounds rulings accurately reflect the law. Her demeanor in the courtroom is professional while treating everyone with diginity and respect. Sounds like some people on this site might have an axe to grind.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD3657
Rating:1.0

Comments:
She begins the day by showing favoritism to the State and the clerks and makes the defense attorney and the defendant feel like outsiders right from the start. The case was extremely serious so Counsel brought the concern of bias and another issue to the head Judge and was told not to worry-- she would be very fair. She was not. She clearly did not understand the impact of the disabled vets (defendant) lack of services from the doctors at the veterans hospital and their continued overdosing him with addictive drugs with no supervision and how that contributed to his crime. The sentencing was complete with medical records, reports, comments on his sobriety and the actual insane attempt to rob two stores in broad daylight right next to his home, passing the cops at the first robbery in his fancy truck! The sentencing was spectacular but she did not even blink and went with the state all the way. A three Judge panel had to hear the same thing and undid what she did. HORRIBLE, HARD, BIASED, UNFAIR, burned out Judge.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD3059
Rating:2.0

Comments:
Does not know how to apply controlling case law. Also does not seem to think other non-published Circuit Court case opinions are relevant, even though her brethren handed down the dispositive Order or ruling.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD3020
Rating:10.0

Comments:
Very fair. Accommodating to both lawyers and litigants. Very even handed in custody litigation. Generally thinks both parents should be equally involved but listens to the evidence and can be persuaded otherwise. Takes voracious notes. Has a moral compass and holds childish conduct against litigants. Very kind to unrepresented litigants but holds them to the law. Expects lawyers and litigants to be prepared. Expects people to act with decorum in the courtroom. Will ask witnesses questions she wants answers to that have not been addressed. Will ask lawyers questions in their closings she wants addressed. Very good trial judge, gives the lawyers latitude to try their cases and does not direct the flow herself. Excellent judge to try a case in front of. Always prepared, always willing to listen.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD2783
Rating:10.0

Comments:
Excellent Judge

Other

Comment #: MD2398
Rating:3.0

Comments:
Given her alleged background as a prosecutor for so many years … I’m wondering why she now gets it so wrong as a Judge…. At least in the two cases I’ve brought before her. My colleagues and I question whether she had enough real life experiences... I hate to say it but her political connections had to be stronger then her knowledge of the law. A great disappointment for many I’m sure.

Other

Comment #: MD2347
Rating:2.0

Comments:
Arrogant, lacks experience. Extremely insecure, she struggles to express herself in difficult circumstances. Quick to pre- judge male defendants. Obviously experienced a difficult divorce in her own life and a bad marriage. Holds male defendants / plaintiffs to a higher standard of proof. Is overly nice to staff and attorneys in her court so they can win their favor and secure their loyalty to overlook their duty in defending their client. Observed her make deliberate false statements while on the bench.

Litigant

Comment #: MD2325
Rating:1.0

Comments:
A lot of folks don't know that Judge Kiessling was a prosecutor for Anne Arundel County. She sought convictions for child sex crimes, and now she is a family court judge in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court, keeping fathers away from their children. She loves to hide behind FL 9-101 when making a ruling against a father. She hires her former friends as BIA's in every single case that she has. I have no doubt in my mind that if you pull all the hearings she has sat in on, you will find a pattern of the same BIA's and the same opinions that all point to the fathers losing the battle in court. I've been in front of her for the past two years and have never won a hearing, and I had three lawyers. I would not trust any lawyer that says he knows her. They said she makes a good family law judge because she has experience in dealing with child abuse. Go figure.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD2270
Rating:4.4

Comments:
She comes across as very polite and likeable. However, she is extremely biased towards men, and we saw her as someone with a political agenda. She has a hidden level of arrogance.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD2267
Rating:3.3

Comments:
This judge is prejudiced against fathers in custody cases.

Other

Comment #: MD2175
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Judge Kiessling is a very biased judge against fathers in custody matters. I have transcripts of the record to prove it. The whole circuit system of judges in Anne Arundel County is crooked, and they are about to be exposed. Why do you think the admin judge retired?