"The Robing Room: MD State Judges

Hon. Lenore R. Gelfman	See Rating Details
Circuit Judge Circuit Court
Howard County 5th Circuit	See Comments

Attorney Average Rating: 5.0 - 17 rating(s) Non-Attorney Average Rating: 1.0 - 4 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. Lenore R. Gelfman

Comments

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD7996
Rating:9.7

Comments:
Having been in practice more than 40 years, I can see and appreciate a hard working, fair minded jurist, and Judge Gelfman is that. While I wasn't successful in my last case in front of her, she listened carefully to all the arguments, was well prepared on the issues in advance, and gave both sides a full opportunity to be heard.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD7731
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Gelfman ruled in an abitrary way simply because my ex was a good friend of her daughter's and was an attorney.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD7607
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Gelfman was full of hatred and bitterness that greatly hindered her ability to adjudicate matters without prejudice. Her temperament and disrespect towards the citizens she was appointed to serve was disgraceful. Thank God this unhinged lunatic was forced into retirement. She should have never been a judge and many people have suffered needlessly due to her impaired reasoning.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD7392
Rating:1.6

Comments:
A horrible judge. She's lazy, biased, subjective, opinionated, arbitrary, and capricious. Was elected based upon her husband's celebrity status on television as opposed to any legal competence. Never would have been nominated and appointed by any judicial authority. Damaged many families including the children by her rulings. Just read the MD Court of Special Appeals opinions about her, especially the one where she ordered a man to pay more child support than he even earned. That sums it up about this mean human being.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD7390
Rating:2.3

Comments:
Thank God you are retired and gone. Your bias decision making and inability to find facts cost me three years going through supervised visits with my kids for absolutely no reason. Costing me over 20,000 dollars and a relationship with my kids that’s going to take years to repair. You were a garbage judge and I’m so happy you can’t do this to a father ever again. I hope you die soon and burn in Hell for all eternity.

Litigant

Comment #: MD7389
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Terrible, incompetent, and biased toward mothers.

Litigant

Comment #: MD7351
Rating:1.0

Comments:
I was before this judge involving a case where the co-personal rep stole almost $700,000 from my mother's estate. I wanted this person removed as co-personal rep. The co-personal rep even withdrew money from my mother's account after she had passed away, plus he charged the estate mileage when he came to my mother's funeral and whenever he visited my mother in the hospital. I even told the judge that I was afraid of the co-personal rep, since he had threatened me. I'm still in shock by Judge Gelfman's decision by not removing this person. She said that this person was a credible witness, and I wasn't since I muffled my testimony. Well, I was scared, since I had never done this before, plus I had to look at the person who had threatened me. I was also scared of the opposing attorney, since he wouldn't allow me to use the restroom during my deposition. I have a medical condition, and I was worried of what might happen in court. The entire court proceeding was a JOKE! I thought the motto for Howard County was civility. Evidently, that doesn't apply to Judge Gelfman's courtroom!

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD7239
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
I've presented before multiple judges over the years and without a doubt, Judge Lenore Gelfman is the very worst. She's lazy; unintelligent; makes false claims to have reviewed documents she really hasn't; is extremely biased against men and in favor of women, especially in family law cases; frequently rules arbitrarily and capriciously; ordered one father to pay child support in an amount that exceeded his net income (which "shocked the conscience" of the MD Court of Special Appeals); ordered another father to pay unaffordable child support of $15,000 per month, then jailing him for several months when he couldn't pay, resulting in the shutdown of his business when his employees refused to work for an employer with such high debt.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD7084
Rating:1.0

Comments:
After multiple interactions with this Judge in a variety of matters, I can confidently say that after a couple decades of practice, this is by far the worst judge I have ever practiced before. Consistently makes the wrong decision. Has zero concern for either the litigants or the lawyers before her. Completely inflexible, does not use common sense, and seems to want to antagonize those around her and actually harm people. One of the most cynical and awful people I have ever come across. The days she retires/dies will be great days for the rest of the world. Sadly, this is not an exaggeration. How the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals ever appointed her to be Administrative Judge is beyond me. A sad reflection of the Maryland judiciary and certainly harms the reputation of the Courts as well as any notions of justice.

Litigant

Comment #: MD6704
Rating:1.0

Comments:
AWFUL! Gelfman could not have been more wrong about my husband's custody case. Gelfman should have been removed a LONG time ago. Her judgment is impaired by her personal life. She made an extremely poor and unjust decision based off of hearsay. We provided hard facts and refuted the hearsay. It was like Gelfman completely ignored our testimony and evidence. I will make it my life's mission to get rid of her. She has ruined many lives, most especially the children involved. Terrible.

Litigant

Comment #: MD5854
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
I am appalled that this woman is trusted to preside over cases. She has no morals, rude, does not listen to evidence. In my case she probably knew the attorney for the other party since i was pro se. She treated me like trash, humiliated me and ruled against me in a matter of mins.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD5557
Rating:1.0

Comments:
The worst judge in Maryland. Disrespectful, cruel, doesn't even listen to the case if a friend of hers is an attorney in the case -rules for her friend's position. Willing to even take money from single parents with babies and children in family law cases without cause - if her friend represents the other parent. Just a horrible person and the worst judge in Maryland.

Litigant

Comment #: MD5151
Rating:1.0

Comments:
She decides the outcome of your case before you ever step foot in trial. She is EXTREMELY mother-biased when it comes to family law cases. Bizarre, cold temperament. Her "recap analysis" and recitation of facts of the case would run counter to the sworn testimony witnesses had just given her. Horrible, horrible judge. Family law nightmare.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD4500
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Judge Gelfman should NOT be the Administrative Judge. She is so biased towards the attorneys she likes and that affects the outcome of your family case, which is criminal to these poor children. The only people who responded positively about her are the attorneys that I just mentioned. They want to remain in her good graces. She could care less about the law or these defenseless children being placed in abusive homes.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD3009
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Judge Gelfman uses her title as "Administrative Judge" to demoralize and berate anyone whom she feels she does not like. She does not listen to evidence and is swayed by the attorneys she knows. She uses her power to make unjust and illegal decisions. She needs to be off the bench.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD2090
Rating:9.4

Comments:
Some lawyers have a tough time with Judge Gelfman because she is no-nonsense on the bench. If you come into her courtroom well-prepared to try your case, she will reward you with an efficient trial where she has read the file and is prepared with the case law needed to make an appropriate ruling. I recently tried a contempt hearing before her on a fellow who had failed to pay his child support and alimony, despite making a six-figure income. Her ruling was a thing of beauty, not because I won, but because she was so well-prepared in citing each and every bit of relevant case law for everything she found and did. It was a master class in how to deliver a ruling in a contempt case. My firm ordered the transcript of her ruling for future reference - it was that impressive.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD1886
Rating:4.9

Comments:
Once one of Howard's best judges, Gelfman has become a big disappointment. She often has attorneys, litigants and witnesses waiting while she "has to take a call" or leaves the bench "to check on something." She can be sweet and caring one day, and absolutely vicious the next. If she is upset with counsel she frequently takes it out on the parties, although she never seems to be upset with the prosecutors, who are all her daughter's co-workers as her child is an assistant state's attorney. She seems burnt out and a bit power hungry and impressed with her own status as administrative judge. A few (10+) years ago she was wonderful, but she has been getting worse. It is time for her to retire.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1883
Rating:4.0

Comments:
Not very bright.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1347
Rating:9.9

Comments:
Have tried a number of cases in front of her. She is now the Administrative Judge in Howard County and it's always a pleasure to be in her courtroom. She spends a good amount of time trying to bring counsel together on a case with an eye toward an equitable settlement. But if the matter goes to trial, she is always punctual, well prepared, and respectful of the parties and their attorneys. I may not always agree with a ruling, but I know she's given it serious consideration

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD1268
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
This judge did not review the case or the law prior to a hearing, she then accepted documents that were never provided to counsel prior to the day of trial and which were summaries of hearsay documents, and then she relied upon them. In my over 20 years experience, she was the most rude judge I have ever encountered, and unprofessional. It appeared that she had a relationship with opposing counsel, whom is located near the courthouse such that she was biased toward him and didn't even look at the facts of the case even after it was heard. She is not fit to sit on the bench. Her ruling was contrary to the facts and law of the case. It would appear that she is an anomoly in Howard County, as the other judges are not like this.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD1264
Rating:10.0

Comments:
A pleasure to try a case in her courtroom. Always prepared and allowed us to fully try the case, with gentle prodding when necessary. Was always prepared and ready to listen to arguments on all sides

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: MD849
Rating:9.9

Comments:
Prepared and fair. Understood all arguments and gave us a chance to present our side of the case.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: MD847
Rating:9.2

Comments:
Don't often get to Howard County but was very impressed with entrial pre-trial and trial process. Judge Gelfman treated all attorneys and parties with respect and has a calm quiet demeanor that allows the trial to progress efficiently. She was always well prepared and we felt we had our full day in court before her.