"The Robing Room: CA State Judges

Hon. Stephanie M. Bowick	See Rating Details
Judge Superior Court
Los Angeles County	See Comments

Attorney Average Rating: 2.5 - 38 rating(s) Non-Attorney Average Rating: 5.0 - 2 rating(s)	Please send me alerts on this judge E-mail Address:

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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. Stephanie M. Bowick

Comments

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA47344
Rating:1.9

Comments:
She can be the poster child of why Judicial Discipline and Judicial oversight must be in the forefront. Judges like her get away with anything and everything knowing that is next to impossible to a judge in trouble unless it’s something went public.

She doesn’t know the law. Doesn’t understand it. [redacted by Ed.] Reads motions to hat has taken 20 hours to draft - for the first time during the actual hearing.

She is biased beyond belief. And doesn’t give a damn either. [redacted by Ed.] she was nominated by Shwartzneneger.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA47145
Rating:2.8

Comments:
Judge Bowick has a good demeanor but is a very harsh in her rulings, and has not followed the law on the matters we have brought before her, even where the legal issues were quite clear.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA46851
Rating:1.0

Comments:
No one can beat this one. She literally granted every motion filed by the defendant without so much as reading it. During trial she was more of a cheerleader than judge. She was discussing her options with counsel as if I’m not even there before ruling on a bifurcated trial. But not before getting her handbook to understand what a bifurcated trial is. She even started answering for the defense the moment I opened my mouth. This outcome of the case was inconsequential because my client needed the time to get his affairs together before any judgment. but going thru this process this judge was grueling. This was my last case I handled before retiring. 30 yrs and never have I experienced such 3rd world antics.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA46817
Rating:1.0

Comments:
I’ve been trying to find this site for a while now. I can put to rest a lot of myths. I know Steph and her through her husband. These ratings do affect her to the extend I have seen her write a few of them and she just laughs it off. And how she was able to secure this position isn’t because of her skills and intelligence. But rather being a black republican female which in and of itself is an oxy Moran. Socially she is very charismatic- but damaged to the core. I’ll divulge some more info at a later when I have time.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA46689
Rating:9.8

Comments:
I have been very happy with Judge Bowick. Because all 3 parties' lawyers get along, she has allowed us to be lawyers, not standing in the way of agreements that we have reached. While she is not happy with bickering lawyers, she certainly rewards those of us who are able to maintain proper and collegial relationships with opposing counsel

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA41619
Rating:7.1

Comments:
I tried a case before Judge Bowick. She was patient and judicious, courteous to parties and counsel, listened carefully and made reasoned rulings. I did not see the judge everyone else is complaining about.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA39296
Rating:1.5

Comments:
Judge Bowick is biased towards the defense and makes no effort to hide her bias or be impartial. She refused to hear any of plaintiff's motions on shortened notice but routinely allowed defense to hear motions on shortened notice. Her willingness to bend over backwards for corporate defendants at the expense of injured consumers is almost shocking to observe. She lacks the temperament needed to be an effective judge, and she has barely any patience for the people who appear before her. I've seen her mistreat in pro per litigants as well on more than one occasion, so I don't think anyone can say in her defense she was having a bad day. Last but not least, if she's issuing any sort of a decision in the favor of the defense, she'll rush that out quickly. But otherwise she is slow to make any rulings and prefers to just kick the can down the road. If you represent injured consumers in her department be weary.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA36588
Rating:1.0

Comments:
This Judge is ice cold! I remember a while back sitting in Judge Bowicks courtroom waiting on another matter, it just so happened to be the day after Christmas, and the courts were opened, and she was handling an eviction matter and the guy was in front of her begging her to not evict his apartments before allowing him his day in court, plus he said the apartments were filled with other people renting rooms over the holidays or something to that effect. Well, this Judge didn't care at all about him or the innocent people in those apartments. While the guy was talking she interrupted him to say, the apartments had all been evicted by the sheriff while the guy was inside the courtroom in front of her, the day after Christmas around 9 AM in the morning. wow, my mouth dropped open. Then the judge says there was nothing else she can do on the case, and gets up and leaves the bench, leaving the guy sitting there looking completely clueless. WOW..WOW...I was stunned. let's just say, we settled our matter and got the heck out of her courtroom.. insane...what that judge did was not justice. I mean she gave zero (O) compassion for this guy or those people, a real-life lady Ebenezer Scrooge. smh, This is a major reason that adds to the homelessness issue that must be addressed. Bad judges wrongfully evicting people ...And now with a pandemic, judges like this woman would be deadly for thousands of people. It's something to really think about... shameful.. smh

Court Staff

Comment #: CA36533
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
If you get this judge quickly CCP 170.6 her, and if you cant, CCP 170.1 or CCP 170.3 her, if that doesn't work, pray your case settles. This woman should not be a judge, she is rude to people including court staff, mean to litigates and their attorneys, always seems clueless of the law, always late to the bench, doesn't seem to like her job and she does not have the temperament to be a judge on the bench. How is it possible the Commission on judicial performance CJP has not removed her from the bench to protect the public from the trauma they will likely experience being in her courtroom?

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA35634
Rating:1.2

Comments:
Judge S.Bowick, should not be on the bench and must be recalled from being a Judge. Always CCP 170.6 her ASAP!!. Do not wait, and risk getting stuck in her as your Judge, or you will regret it. Judge Bowick is moody and unpredictable. I have seen this woman yell and talk nasty, rudely, and aggressively to parties and their attorneys appearing in her court. Judge Bowick has muted party's appearing in her court phone lines during their cases, she has prevented parties from filing proper documents in their case in her court and threaten them and their counsel with sanction if they made any attempts to do so. Judge Bowick has threatened parties that she would stop their proceedings because they objected and she threatened parties including the court reporter to not record what one of the parties would say that she did not like. Judge Bowick has abused her power as a Judge and the Cannons because she is aware, there really is no punishment for her bad acts while on the bench, outside of her being recalled by the LA voters. She is always late starting her cases, she fails to read the pleadings, and if your self represented you have no chance in Judge Bowick court because she will bully them, then dismiss there cases. Nearly all reviews on Judge Bowick are bad that you can find online and over the last 9 years of the negative reviews everyone seems to say pretty much the same thing about Judge Bowick's unhinged behavior on the bench. Judge Bowick has only been on the bench since 2009 and since 2013 she has received over 34 reviews again mostly all negative. Judge Bowick must be Recalled off the bench. And the voters of Los Angeles must get that done because they are the only ones with the power to do it. It normally takes less than 30 signatures of registered voters to start the recalling process on any sitting superior court judge. (double-check the number it could change) We the people do not have to stand for this type of abuse by our elected officials, we the voters have the power to do something about it, and we must. Simply writing a review on Judge Bowick isn't good enough, though it's a good place to quickly warn others who may cross Judge Bowick's path to run like hell to the courthouse and file a CCP 170.6 challenge that same day. Simply put for the safety of all litigates and their attorneys, Judge Bowick must be RECALLED and the process must start in 2021. #RECALLJUDGEBOWICK2021

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: CA35364
Rating:1.0

Comments:
This women is a bigot. She belongs in jail rather then pretending to be a superior court judge. Look at the reviews. A BIGOT.

Other

Comment #: CA35357
Rating:10.0

Comments:
I recently read a hearing transcript Judge Bowick presided over, in which she conducted herself with exceptional level-headedness, and cut straight through some very poor and disingenuous arguments. We need more like her.

Litigant

Comment #: CA23859
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Judge Bowick was obviously appointed for political reasons rather than on her own merit of being a qualified judicial candidate. She is actually worse than Elizabeth Feffer. I didn't think this was possible, but it is. She acts like she is the star of some reality tv show, or some fabricated thing like "Black-ish." There, I said it! Those of us who are black are judged by people like her. But we are not all like her. Many of us are even-tempered, hardworking, and devoted to justice. Let's let Judge Bowick be a thing of the past as we move on from all kinds of racism in this country.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: CA23594
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Not qualified to be a superior court judge.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: CA22972
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Rooted judge. Biased towards the defendant regardless of facts. SHE PROMOTES CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AND SHE DENIGRATES VICTIMS!

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA18677
Rating:1.0

Comments:
In my opinion judge Bowick is far and away the worst, least professional, worst prepared, and STUPIDEST judge I have ever had the misfortune of appearing before. She doesn't read documents that are filed with her, and then blames counsel for such failure because she is obviously too busy to read everything filed in her court. Oh? really? Why are documents presented to her. She is also dumb as a door nail and not the least bit inclined to educate herself, and she plays favorites like you wouldn't believe. She is a disgrace.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA17088
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Re: comment #CA17039 this commentary is an absolute farce. Unless there is an obvious technically, Bowick NEVER rules on the bench- unless she has has several continuances on the very issue. And after 30+ years who other than judges uses the term jurist ... really?

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA17039
Rating:9.2

Comments:
Judge Bowick was prompt for her morning calendar on the day of my motion, and I watched most if not all of her entire calendar before my matter was called. She was extremely courteous and friendly to all the attorneys before her, and indulgent with their schedules, appropriately so. On my motion, she heard extensive argument from both my opponent and myself, asked challenging questions of both of us, And made up her mind then and there on the bench. In short, I think she is an outstanding jurist.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: CA15300
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
A real bigoted zero of a judge. Loves criminals hates victims. Hopefully one day she too can experience the living hell she caused for so many HINEST VICTIMS. Nasty nasty person....

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: CA15298
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
If you have a case against a school district, or any other public entity, she’ll be biased in favor of the entity. She was previously a City Attorney in San Francisco and San Diego and was in house counsel for LAUSD. Her posture is to give deference to government lawyers. She can be insulting and condescending in her demeanor talking down to attorneys. I heard negative comments about her from the outset and decided to keep an open mind, but after my own experiences I can say that what others have commented here rang true. She will construe the facts from a defensive mind, which should be left for the jury. For summary adjudication the facts should be construed in the light most favorable to the plaintiff. If you’re responding to a question, many times she won’t understand the law behind the answer, and she gets upset. She will interrupt constantly and not let you finish answering the question she was asking. She plays favorites, particularly once she picks a side.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA13613
Rating:1.0

Comments:
This judge is disgrace to the legal community, and should be recalled. She is always late to the bench, not read the motions, biased, and systematically disregards the existing, authoritative law.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: CA13415
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
This judge is a bigoted idiot whose purpose in life is to screw the victim while honoring the crooks. She is a rotten human being with absolutely no conscious.

I can only hope that one day she gets to experience the devastation that all victims experience.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA13414
Rating:1.0

Comments:
In 30 years of practice, in my opinion she is far and away the worst, least professional, worst prepared, and STUPIDEST judge I have ever had the misfortune of appearing before. She doesn't read documents that are filed with her, and then blames counsel for such failure because she is obviously too busy to read everything filed in her court. Oh? really? Why are documents presented to her. She is also dumb as a door nail and not the least bit inclined to educate herself, and she plays favorites like you wouldn't believe. She is a disgrace.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA13034
Rating:1.5

Comments:
I’ve been before this judge more than 60 times. Can offer my fellow lawyers some advice: file your motions to be heard toward end of week, preferably Friday’s. Use bold headings. Write like a first grader. Do not let your m&p go beyond three pages. She categorically does not read moving papers. She at times reads oppositions. But be prepared to argue your points on day of hearing and expect at least two continuances before she rules. She’ll read moving papers while you are before her on day of hearing and she looks for reasons to deny on technicalities. Imagine the stereotypical dumb blond, who just walked in on her husband cheating on her with another man. And that is her mentality and her temperament.
Please comment if you agree or disagree.

Civil Litigation - Govt.

Comment #: CA13033
Rating:1.0

Comments:
I agree that she is idiot and stupid. I wonder how she became a judge.She too scared to rule.Is there any one care about her sick behavior!

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA12936
Rating:1.5

Comments:
She too scared to rule. Too stupid to know how to rule. And to lazy to read, if she is able to read at all.

Her temperament is worse than a pregnant female in her 8th month.

Please take the time to read and understand what is before you BEFORE THE HEARING AND NOT DURING THE HEARING. Pure laziness. As a black female, you should be setting an example, and not promoting the horrible stereotype which you so perfectly do. shameful. NOT TOO LATE TO CHANGE as I can say she is intelligent, but her laziness and tempermant is NOT befitting a judge.

Civil Litigation - Govt.

Comment #: CA12915
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Judge Stephanie M. Bowick is a disgrace to the bench

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA12813
Rating:1.0

Comments:
It was astonishing that Stephanie M. Bowick was so BIAS that even did not like to consider such a strong discovered evidence against defendant because the employer was a public entity. This judge should be dismissed and removed immediately.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: CA12801
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
YES HER TEMPERAMENT IS AS UNPREDICTABLE AS AN ANIMAL IN THE WILD.

BUT COMPARED TO JUDGE ELIZABETH FEFFER, SHE IS AS KIND AS ANGEL, AS SMART AS EINSTEIN, AND EVEN HANDED AS THE BLIND JUSTICE.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA12800
Rating:2.0

Comments:
Meet and Confer. Meet and Confer. Meet and Confer. Meet and Confer. THE ONLY THING SHE KNOWS. I actually had to meet and confer more than 5 times, EVEN AFTER DOING SO PRIOR TO THE FILING OF THE DISCOVERY MOTION. There was more than six months delay in her ruling, and then she asks' why did you not file a summary judgment'. um, your honor, because you too scared to rule, and too ignorant to understand the issues and rather have us meet and confer enough times until its days before the final status conference, and your ruling, now is moot because I cant enforce it should other side decide they want to use your ruling as toilet paper. which is what happened.

did I mention, i question whether she is literate or not hecause I know fact positive that she does NOT read anything. so write like a first grader and make it short.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: CA12433
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Biased for Plaintiff and prejudiced against defendants, a dangerous combination for all litigants. Major mistrial/reversal risk for excluded evidence, overruled objections and for following plaintiff attorney's cues on rulings. No fair trial in her courtroom.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA12420
Rating:9.0

Comments:
I disagree with whoever says she can't be impartial against a public entity. She granted an ex parte for me against the AG that I was very surprised to win on (although it was the right decision, the clerk had told me she would not grant it), and the AG was extremely vocal about how upset she was about her decision; Judge Bowick calmly stood her ground and was polite but firm and cited facts in my ex parte and generally displayed good judgment. I really have a lot of respect for her just because of that one interaction, and I wasn't even factoring in my opponent being a government entity.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: CA12320
Rating:1.0

Comments:
I would highly advise utilizing a 170.6 if you have a case against a public entity before this judge. She somehow cannot be impartial and wants to side with the public entity lawyer, regardless of what the issue is.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA12319
Rating:1.0

Comments:
If you have any case with complicated legal issues this judge will work you over. She will not be able to sufficiently grasp the issues, no matter how detailed you brief them. She will get hung up on the simplest of issues and shift gears at the drop of a dime. I have never seen a judge work over a lawyer over the most basis mundane matters at the earliest phases of litigation. I know she has a background representing LAUSD. Seems biased against lawyers suing public entities and leans in favor of any ridiculous argument advanced by government lawyers. After all, that is where her roots are.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: CA12210
Rating:1.4

Comments:
terrible judge. She defends and promotes criminality. A really rotten human being.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA12127
Rating:1.6

Comments:
When is this nightmare going to be over? All my years bowick is no 2 of the worse judges I’ve dealt with. No 1 being Liz Feiffer. She does NOT know procedure. Is afraid to make a ruling. and Has more mood swings than a 8 month prenant female. God bless her poor family having to deal with this witch. I turned down defending a 5 million dollar suit after breaking she is the judge. No thanks.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA12123
Rating:7.8

Comments:
I was surprised by the tone and tenor of the negative comments. I found her to be accommodating, reasonable and familiar with her caseload.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA12004
Rating:1.2

Comments:
Rotten judge. Biased . While acknowledging a enormous crime she fought for defendents. Defendents never appeared incourt. This was fine by her.

Her lack of concern for the victims has destroyed a company of 40 hard working humans. We will leave California . This judge should be dismissed

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA11369
Rating:1.3

Comments:
I am truly shocked this person is a judge. Her decorum is embarrassing to the profession. She yells at attorneys in the courtroom, interrupts them every time they speak, asks question and then cuts off the answer. Doesn't understand basic rules of procedure or evidence and is too arrogant to even care to learn. She is rude, moody, immature and unprofessional. Every review I have read about her I have myself experienced. Almost too terrible to be true...a total anomaly

Other

Comment #: CA10014
Rating:1.0

Comments:
I write this rating not only out of frustration and as a cry for justice, but also in the hope that the Committee on Judicial Performance reads and acts on the public and professionals' opinion and experience with this Judge. She is arrogant, insulting and ignorant. She lacks any understanding or knowledge of the facts or the law of her cases. Justice won't prevail in her courtroom.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA9921
Rating:2.5

Comments:
Treated me terribly. Disrespected my client. Bad attitude. Arrogant. Not particularly bright. Bipolar personality. Disregarded the facts. Hope you don't have them same experience. Wasted time. Then complained about how much time was limited. Forced settlement conference of over objection by both sides. Cost my client $500K.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA9709
Rating:1.3

Comments:
Inability to understand basic legal concepts and basic facts. Unfamiliar with rules of evidence. Yells. Regularly appears frustrated and overwhelmed. Immature; Rolls eyes at counsel in presence of jury. Biased. Inpatient, apparently due to inability to understand basic concepts.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA9676
Rating:1.9

Comments:
Should not be a judge. Limited to no ability to understand basic case issues. Easily confused by simplistic case fact patterns. Cannot keep case facts straight, even when explained. Mind boggling to be in front of this judge. Does not listen. Repeatedly argued with counsel, as if she were advocating. Asks counsel a question, and then interrupts counsel, providing her own wrong facts, to answer her own question, which facts actually controvert the very point she is trying to make, all when counsel is only 3 words into responding. Just the wrong temperament to be a judge.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA7671
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Terrible judge with virtually no understanding of the law. A classic example of someone who has risen well beyond her capabilities.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA4123
Rating:8.5

Comments:
Judge Bowick handled my case really well. She was patient, read everything, and understood all of the details. She ultimately made the right decision. She is an excellent judge.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: CA4086
Rating:2.2

Comments:
This judge is the most heartless and merciless of all the judges I've ever come across.