Comment #: CA52651
Rating:1.0
Comments:
My case is currently active and assigned to the Honorable Joseph Hite. I first met Judge Schulman in the spring of 2023 when he somehow without me knowing he “volunteered” to mediate a settlement agreement involving what the Tenderloin Housing Clinic swore to was an eviction case that DID NOT involve the defendant (me) owing any back rent at all when the THC filed their eviction case against me in December 2022. I was able to set in his pretty much empty courtroom (4-people, Judge Schulman, the clerk, an attorney and myself) as he pushed 2 other cases along. I was able to watch him in action on the bench for about half an hour or so. I was left thinking that he would be a great judge for a television show... a cross between Judge Judy and Judge Mathis. My case is currently assigned to the Honorable Joseph Hite (whom thus far I'm impressed with). Judge Schulman said he would be acting as a "non-bias" arbitrator. Yet he brokered a backroom deal in August of 2023 with the attorney appointed to represent me in an eviction case, the one and only, Justice & Diversity Director; Attorney Teresa Friend, along with the attorney representing the Tenderloin Housing Clinic, Mr. Howard Olsen without me being present! Then he ran it through on the record getting me to agree. A couple days later Mr. Howard Olsen notified me what it meant and I came unglued! Now, my own attorney, the Justice & Diversity Director, Teresa Friend said that I should just sign it and deal with it later, allowing the THC to now say that I owe over $10,000 in back rent! I have refused to sign off finalizing the agreement.
In October or November of 2023, Judge Hite asked the 2 attorneys for an update on the case and was informed that I refused to sign off on their backroom deal. Judge Hite then he sent the case back to Judge Schulman. Judge Schulman has refused to have anything else to do with the matter! Now, my attorney, the Justice & Diversity Director, Teresa Friend, is threatening to quit if I don't give in and sign off on their backroom deal. As of today, 1/9/24, I have Not, and WILL NOT sign it! This kind of stuff seems to happen a lot. I will have to say this about some of the negative comments below about Judge Schulman….. I AGREE 100%! I strongly advise everyone that has to deal with this kind of situation involving any of the people in power to ignore the signs and capture all the irrefutable evidence that's needed to prove what’s happening, that’s the ONLY way to stop it from happening again!

Comment #: CA42013
Rating:9.8
Comments:
Reviews tend to be love/hate . . . the winner loves the judge and the loser hates him. I strongly disagree with the negative comments below. Although I have been successful before him, I try to give an honest assessment. Judge Schulman was an excellent Law & Motion judge and actually is smart. In my several cases, he actually read the papers, was very familiar with the arguments, and was able to cut through the wall of BS thrown up by opposing counsel. Granted, he ruled in my favor, but he actually followed the law and gave due consideration to the existing federal precedent that governed the cases. If you have a case where the applicable law favors you, you will be happy. If it does not, and you think that you will be able to BS him, you will be unhappy.

Comment #: CA40157
Rating:9.8
Comments:
This judge does not suffer fools lightly. If he "seems to act like the smartest person in the room," as one reviewer has said, it may be because he actually is. It's important to have confidence in your judge - and, in my view, whether he ruled against or for my client, he was always well-reasoned and correct. He goes out of his way to help move a case along, a breath of fresh air in the court's clogged system.

Comment #: CA38347
Rating:3.5
Comments:
Temperament is abysmal. Thinks he is smartest person in the room and acts the part. Makes arguments on behalf of counsel even though litigants did not make those very same arguments, basically picking winners and losers apparently on personal preference alone. looks for results and never reconsiders even when blatantly wrong. Thinks prepping for trial might require a "few hours prep." Obviously hasn't practiced law for many years, if ever.

Comment #: CA36647
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Imperious and rude; belittles experienced attorneys to shut them down and move on to the next case. Poorly-reasoned, brief rulings that betray little familiarity with the briefing.

Comment #: CA35632
Rating:1.0
Comments:
Judge Schulman is an unethical judge. He and his predecessor, Judge Kahn, misuse the law and motion department to help their political friends and allies. In this department they can disproportionately affect a greater number of civil cases.

Comment #: CA32941
Rating:1.0
Comments:
This judge is the worst I've ever dealt with in many years. He should not be on the bench. Yet the SF Superior Court has assigned him to law and motions, so that he gets a chance to screw up every civil case that comes before him on a motion. This is bizarre, since SF is supposed to be an enlightened city.

If you file a civil non-discovery motion or one is filed against you, and you represent an individual or are pro se and the other side is the government, or a big corporation, you should immediately file a 170.6 form and get him off the case.

Comment #: CA32672
Rating:1.0
Comments:
He should not be a judge considering his temperament and complaints made about him in the media

Comment #: CA31791
Rating:4.8
Comments:
conversant superficially with the case. not genuinely interested in the legal issues. Should not be elevated to DCA EVER.

Comment #: CA31510
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
A typical California Democratic garbage Judge. He undermines the constitution. Merely a political HACK. The time will come for him. Even Californians are becoming weary of all the scandalous political system.

Comment #: CA31428
Rating:1.4
Comments:
The major problem with this Judge is that he is incurably lazy. That quality does not mesh well with his assignment to the law and motion department, where this judge allows himself to be overwhelmed by the volume of matters flowing through his courtroom every day. Thus, this judge shoots from the hip without committing himself to the basic research necessary to resolve the issues before him. As a consequence, his decisions are often erroneous. Stretching to give him the benefit of the doubt, I won't suggest whether this judge is or is stupid, but it is obvious that he refuses to do his homework. Given his terrible work ethic, this judge should be reassigned to a place where there are plenty of nap breaks and is relatively little at stake. I recommend he be moved over to the traffic court where the defendants speed but where a lazy judge can creep along at a snail's pace without anyone really caring.

Comment #: CA27875
Rating:2.3
Comments:
Judge Schulman's predecessor, Judge Kahn, was a scholar and one of the brightest judges on the bench. Judge Schulman is a poor substitute who seems to have little regard for individual rights. It really depends on what side of the case you are on. If your client is the conventionally favored business etc. type Judge Schulman might be just the person you want for your motions.

Comment #: CA19988
Rating:8.4
Comments:
Ruled against my motion, and he was correct--not usually the case with SF judges who don't know the law and shoot from the hip. Extraordinarily patient with inept attorneys and pro per litigants, and is not swayed by theatrics. Seems to know what law he actually knows and takes the time to look up law he is fuzzy on. Has the temperament for sitting on an appellate panel. Hope SF politics doesn't swallow him first.