"The Robing Room: CA State Judges

Hon. Barbara Marie Scheper	See Rating Details
Judge Superior Court
Los Angeles County	See Comments

Attorney Average Rating: 4.3 - 34 rating(s) Non-Attorney Average Rating: 7.0 - 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. Barbara Marie Scheper

Comments

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA53130
Rating:1.0

Comments:
I have been in civil litigation for 10 years. I've had bad rulings, good ones, and like all experienced counsel, have won cases I thought would lose, and lost cases I thought would win.

That being said, Judge Scheper is by far the WORST judge I have ever encountered, ever. Defense bias is an understatement. If you are a Plaintiff in a business dispute, 170.6 immediately. If defense, would probably stick with her. She repeatedly ignored dispositive evidence, despite my flagging of the evidence repeatedly, indicating she simply wanted to hand a win to the other side. More than once she did not post tentatives online, but instead handed a piece of paper on the day of the hearing to ambush and make it harder to prepare. I am experienced civil litigation counsel, having tried numerous cases before numerous judges in Southern California. She is the worst judge, period. I feel she is biased and I do not make that accusation lightly.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA52926
Rating:10.0

Comments:
Judge Scheper is one of the best judges in Los Angeles. She applies the rules rigorously. She never loses her temper (she might sigh if she is losing her patience). She is diligent in getting rulings out. Her analysis is top-notch. I have detected no bias towards plaintiffs or towards defendants. I have had many cases assigned to her, and have tried three cases in her courtroom over the last 20 years, so I have plenty of experience observing her in court.

She should be elevated to the Court of Appeal, IMO, but I'm glad to have her in the trial courts.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: CA48796
Rating:2.8

Comments:
This judge would not allow expert testimony to take place and granted a summary judgment based solely on the testimony of a notary from 6 years ago regards the signature in question.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA46501
Rating:10.0

Comments:
I have had 2 or 3 cases with Judge Scheper over the past 10 years, and have always found her to be very direct, and very fair. She closely follows the rules on motions, and definitely reads counsel's papers. She takes the bench promptly at 8:30 a.m., and you can expect quick trial dates in her courtroom, both of which is what all civil trial judges should be doing. She took the time in one of my recent cases to independently research the issue of disqualification when the defense made a late motion to disqualify her. She denied the motion, and the Court of Appeal denied a defense writ. Regarding minors compromises, if you properly prepare your filings, they will be processed quickly, and her staff will help to coordinate a hearing date.
I would never use a 170.6 challenge.
~

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA32311
Rating:8.9

Comments:
I had a trial with her in March right before the courts shut down. I found her to be smart, fair, and tough on counsel. She runs a tight ship and does not suffer fools. Even when she ruled against our side on key issues, she always explained her reasoning. She demands counsel to be prepared and honor their duties as officers of the court. She will show her displeasure at counsel who exaggerate their positions or act unreasonably. I think she tries to send a message so that counsel feel pressure to be more honest, reasonable, and prepared. If you are not, she will voice her displeasure. After a tough trial, she complimented the lawyers on both sides for their professionalism and hard work. She even offered words of encouragement for the young female associates who second-chaired on both sides. If you are a good lawyer who is prepared, keep her. If not, you better improve fast!

Other

Comment #: CA31287
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
CA31279

^Attorneys who use so many "CAPS" in their filings--are not credible--and lack legal acumen, so they just yell--some others, just cheat and yell.

Other

Comment #: CA31286
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
CA31279

"Horrible judge! Very defense oriented and constantly displays her bias in outrageous ways. She is a perfect example of why attorneys leave the practice of law.
View Detail Send e-mail to this poster 10/13/2015 2:24:19 PM... "

^ Not sure about how this judge operates-comment is however very telling. However, when attorney's complain about judges --they don't acknowledge they are part of the problem,,,and fail to look in the mirror.. Too many attorneys don't even practice law- only practice lawlessness--many are just "doing themselves "-what is best for themselves-with zero regard to the rule-of -law, ethics, CCP, CRC, factual filings.....; while many of these attorneys later become a judge, or take jobs at the CJP, The State Bar.....and the rest is obvious. The Internet and Karma are watching-hopefully also the AG- Office of Public Integrity, US Attorney , DOJ.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA31279
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Here's what the others say -- She's a complete train wreck -- BUT if you notice she might be worth keeping if you're on the defense side. Doesn't make her a good judge if you're on the defense side -- just makes her crooked in your favor maybe -- STILL a horrible Judge. Here's what they say:

QUESTION: So If I'm the Plaintiff's counsel do I 170.6 Scheper every time. And does anyone know what her husband does? Lawyer or no? Plaintiffs or Defense or?

Here's what I am looking at -- So Paper her or no?

The reviews from attorneys who have stated she is demeaning, defense oriented and intellectually inferior are so spot on that I almost cried when I read them. Scheper does not deserve to wear a robe, much less tell lawyers who are smarter than she is that she is right no matter what. A pure disgrace to the bench.

She is a horrible, evil, mean-spirited judge. It would be malpractice not to exercise a preemptory challenge if you're representing the plaintiffs. I'm sure that the positive feedback on her is from defense counsel. No objective lawyer could have anything positive to say about her.

Horrible judge! Very defense oriented and constantly displays her bias in outrageous ways. She is a perfect example of why attorneys leave the practice of law.
View Detail Send e-mail to this poster 10/13/2015 2:24:19 PM

She is the worst judge on the bench, hands down. She is openly hostile, takes great pleasure in demeaning attorneys, and displays an imperious and tyrannical temperament from the bench. She is rude, condescending, and intellectually dishonest. I had a case where she granted a defense motion, stating in the tentative she did so because a DFEH complaint was not judicially noticed. Ironically, she had literally just DENIED a REQUEST FOR JUDICIAL NOTICE just a week earlier. When this was pointed out to her, she responded with demeaning comments designed to humiliate others, rather than acknowledge her error. She sanctions all over the place, without cause (especially if you are the plaintiff). I have no idea how she became a judge, or why she even wants the job given her obvious intolerance for attorneys, litigants, or any intellectual exercise.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA29122
Rating:9.9

Comments:
Surprised at negative comments about Judge Scheper. I have been in practice for 30 years, more than 30 trials, and found her to be a very, very good judge. Thoughtful, fair, respectful, good knowledge of the evidence code, made very good rulings on some evidentiary issues that helped both sides get a verdict essentially immune to appellate challenge.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA26806
Rating:3.2

Comments:
Awful Judge. 170.6 every time.

Litigant

Comment #: CA25519
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
Poor!

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA23935
Rating:1.0

Comments:
This is one of the most incompetent judges I've had the displeasure of dealing with. She lacks knowledge of basic rules of law and will make rulings based on her whims as opposed to any sense of fairness or propriety. 170.6 her immediately if you get assigned to her or you will get stuck hoping to appeal instead.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA23853
Rating:9.7

Comments:
Quick, efficient, and provided helpful tentative to explain position in advance of decision on petition to confirm arbitral award. Adhered to statutory mandates and ruled fairly. Good judge.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA19760
Rating:1.0

Comments:
I wish I would have paid attention to what other lawyers said on this site and 170.6'd Judge Scheper. If you have a case assigned to her, don't make the mistake I did - 170.6 immediately.

Judge Scheper is perhaps the worst judge I've appeared in front of. In my opinion, she was unprepared and unprofessional, and routinely misstated the law and important procedural rules. She and her clerk each made incorrect assertions of law and court rules, and blamed attorneys for their own misunderstanding. I've never seen a judge get not only the law wrong, but HER OWN WRITTEN PROCEDURES. Absolutely unprofessional, and in my opinion absolutely crazy for a judge to mis-cite her own rules.

It's a shame because Judge Scheper seems to care about being a good judge, and I don't question her integrity - but she clearly doesn't have a handle on the cases in front of her, delegates too much to her clerk who routinely gets it wrong and abuses her authority, and blames attorneys for her own failings. Steer clear. I've practiced for about 10 years and she's the second judge I'll 170.6 without a second thought - she really is *that bad*.

I wish I had paid attention to what others on this site had said. By the looks of things, she does this to many, many attorneys. The combination of personal anger toward attorneys in front of her, plus misstating the law and rules, borders on judicial gaslighting. When 20+ attorneys all say the same thing, they can't all be crazy. Save yourself the trouble and 170.6.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA18594
Rating:6.2

Comments:
She reads the papers and is very detailed orientated; and smart but she and her staff lack reasonableness when it comes to issues facing litigants and attorneys. She allows her clerk to run roughshod over the courtroom which is not a good practice. It leaves a less than humanistic approach for the attorneys and the parties as we are all human and things come up in life that require navigating through scheduling. I think if Scheper would take a step back, and stop being so firm/stern, about issues that are of no consequence to the case or litigation, she could be ranked one of the highest judges in the court house. But she will never get there with the attitude of her clerk and not showing understanding about the most basic of issues like scheduling, appearing court call etc. If I was a judge my goal would not be to be disliked but to be amenable to the parties when necessity dictates it. Sometimes Scheper loses sight of what is big or small. Everyone knows she's in charge. But more so, her clerk sends that impression that she has more power than Scheper.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA17604
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Extremely bad judge.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA15900
Rating:10.0

Comments:
Judge Scheper handled a breach of contract and tort case for us. She did her research for all motions and ruled fairly and evenly. She read the pleadings and had good questions.

Come prepared; she is not pleased with attorneys who do not come prepared or who don't follow her requests or the local rules.

Great temperment. Court clerk a bit sour.

Civil Litigation - Govt.

Comment #: CA14280
Rating:4.1

Comments:
Will steamroll counsel if her mind is made up on your case. Generally let’s in extraneous evidence despite availability of EC 352. Terrible on deciding “me too” evidence for employment cases because she will liberally construe evidence despite a difference in supervisor, time as to alleged discrimination, and race/ethnicity of complaining employees.

Litigant

Comment #: CA12514
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
January, 2011, I was the plaintiff in a quiet title case when a joint tenant and I had a 12-month temporary business arrangement which included adding him on title to my real property as a joint tenant. At the end of 12 months or less, when our financial issues were resolved he was to relinquish his interest as a joint tenant in my property. Instead, he breached our agreement the first day and recorded a deed with just his name on title to my property without my knowledge or consent. Five months later I received a letter from the Los Angeles Tax Assessor's office stating my property taxes were reassessed due to a change in ownership and the property was no longer on Proposition 13 causing the taxes in 2006 which were $1700 to escalate to $10,500 in 2007. In December 2006, I received my mortgage payment in the mail from Washington Mutual stating my mortgages had been paid off. I contacted the JT who was in New York and demanded an explanation. The explanation I got was an Eviction Summons the first week of January 2007. I sued the joint tenant for fraud and quiet title. Judge John Farrell ruled in my favor for quiet title, and ordered the JT to restore my name to title. Judge Farrell told the JT there was no sale, you can't evict a joint tenant. Since Judge Farrell was retiring he said there would a second trial to determine the fate of the loan the JT thought he would get away with in his deceitful attempt to steal my house...he is a licensed real estate broker who got caught. Barbara Scheper had just returned from a vacation and was upset that she couldn't find a copy of what had transpired during the previous trial and the disposition. She was enraged at me, my attorney and actually seemed to feel sorry for the defendant...what an idiot. I concur with all the negative comments about her negative, abusive demeanor toward attorneys and litigants due to her lack of the case review...that's her problem unless the previous judge failed to leave a copy. She inferred I knew about the loan and I had no clue this guy had taken out a purchase loan on my house. If Judge thought that, why would he rule there was no purchase and rule for quiet title. JUDGE BARBARA SCHEPER IS A BIASED POOR EXCUSE FOR A JUDGE WHO IS SUPPOSED TO BE IMPARTIAL AND AT LEAST PREPARED FOR A CASE WHICH SHE WASN'T!

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA12136
Rating:3.0

Comments:
Judge Scheper, filling in for another judge whose courtroom was dark, denied an ex parte application to advance a hearing date on motions to compel discovery. They had to be set in February, according to the online reservation system. The basis for the request was that depositions cannot start until the requested documents are received and there will be insufficient time to complete the dozen or so depositions in advance of an April trial date unless an earlier hearing on the motions could be had. She denied the unopposed application on the grounds that there was no "good cause" supporting it. Judge Scheper has earned the generally negative view the civil trial bar has of her.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA11677
Rating:8.1

Comments:
I have tried one court & one jury trial before Judge Scheper. She sees through delaying tactics & doesn't suffer fools gladly. However, she will give you a fair trial, knows the Evidence Code, and is great with the jury. I didn't win all of the rulings, but I felt there was a reasonable basis for most of them. Caution: pay close attention to court rules & deadlines, as she relies on these considerably. If you follow them faithfully, she will be happy.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA11040
Rating:3.0

Comments:
I am perplexed by the positive comments on this judge. I've been practicing civil litigation for over 40 years. Judge Scheper is the worst, by far. I am only infer that the positive comments were submitted by a lawyer who prevailed in one of her cases. But, of course, the test for a judge is whether he or she is fair and respectfully; and Judge Scheper fails miserably and clearly in that regard.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA10824
Rating:1.9

Comments:
One of the worst judges I've been in front of in 27 years. Ill-prepared, demeaning, emotional, short-tempered and petty. And that's just her demeanor.

As far as managing the case, rather than streamlining the litigation, she created more work for herself and everyone else in the matter. It took her three different CMC appearances (in a case with 6 attorneys) before finally ordering the case be deemed related to the resulting insurance coverage dispute. She needed an additional two months and another hearing to decide whether to consolidate discovery.

After substituting in for previous plaintiff's counsel I appeared at my first hearing (CMC) with a stipulation from all sides allowing me to file my own (amended) complaint rather than be stuck with prior counsel's complaint, e.g., to add necessary parties with a statute of limitations fast approaching, dismiss unnecessary parties, clean up the pleading, etc. We had no trial date, the case was not at issue, but she wouldn't allow the stipulation and instead required a NOTICED motion, no ex parte relief.

She used to get so upset her hand would start to shake, tremor-like. In all my years of practice I may have papered 3-4 judges, but I will NEVER let this judge preside over one of my cases again.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA10359
Rating:9.1

Comments:
Great Judge. She actually reads the motion papers! And she reads the cases too! She can be stern and doesn't like continuance requests. She doesn't always come down in your favor but she always gives you a chance to argue your case. A class act.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA10162
Rating:1.0

Comments:
In reading the negative reviews about Judge Scheper they all reminded me of my experiences before her as well. It's rare to see a judge so blatantly ignore the law and the record. In my case she denied a demurrer stating, in her order, that I had not filed separate Requests for Judicial Notice....when in fact I had and it is shown in the Court file and in the Summary of the Case. If she doesn't like you or your Client she will highlight the most trivial things and hold them against you (e.g., half a page over on the page limit) while ignoring the other sides flagrant missteps (e.g., flat out misrepresenting Supreme Court Authority). The icing on the cake was when she denied a leave to file a Compulsory Cross Complaint, something she is all but required to permit. She denied leave stating it was on the "eve of trial" when in fact it was SIX WEEKS before trial and less than four months since the Answer was filed. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize Her Honor stating it was on the "eve" of trial, i.e., the day before trial, is false as six weeks is not the day before. This is just one example of how she will build Her Record against you to obtain the result she desires in the case. 170.6 her. Funny, one person reviewing her stated she's a reason why lawyers will leave the profession. You spend time in front of this judge having your case sabotaged by Her and that's exactly how you feel.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA9817
Rating:1.0

Comments:
The reviews from attorneys who have stated she is demeaning, defense oriented and intellectually inferior are so spot on that I almost cried when I read them. Scheper does not deserve to wear a robe, much less tell lawyers who are smarter than she is that she is right no matter what. A pure disgrace to the bench.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA7867
Rating:2.9

Comments:
She is a horrible, evil, mean-spirited judge. It would be malpractice not to exercise a preemptory challenge if you're representing the plaintiffs. I'm sure that the positive feedback on her is from defense counsel. No objective lawyer could have anything positive to say about her.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA7745
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Horrible judge! Very defense oriented and constantly displays her bias in outrageous ways. She is a perfect example of why attorneys leave the practice of law.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA7632
Rating:1.0

Comments:
She is the worst judge on the bench, hands down. She is openly hostile, takes great pleasure in demeaning attorneys, and displays an imperious and tyrannical temperament from the bench. She is rude, condescending, and intellectually dishonest. I had a case where she granted a defense motion, stating in the tentative she did so because a DFEH complaint was not judicially noticed. Ironically, she had literally just DENIED a REQUEST FOR JUDICIAL NOTICE just a week earlier. When this was pointed out to her, she responded with demeaning comments designed to humiliate others, rather than acknowledge her error. She sanctions all over the place, without cause (especially if you are the plaintiff). I have no idea how she became a judge, or why she even wants the job given her obvious intolerance for attorneys, litigants, or any intellectual exercise.

Litigant

Comment #: CA7541
Rating:10.0

Comments:
No litigant always gets what they want, however Judge Scheper is a gem. Starts right on time every time. She is very neutral. I have caught her jumping to incorrect conclusions about matters and she will tend to presume a few things here or there but she is head and shoulders above the rest. Every judge should be like her.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA7506
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Just awful.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: CA7155
Rating:6.7

Comments:
Brilliant jurist. She reads the papers diligently and has an excellent grip on the law, but she is impatient, and power-driven, and she can be sadistic at times. She has zero tolerance for any deviation from her orders even unintentionally. I gave her a 3 for temperament rather than a zero because she conducts herself with courtesy. But beware. Her courtesy is surface-deep. She is heavy handed with sanctions, and she will not hesitate to throw your case under the bus despite having discretion not to, even if it means a malpractice suit. This happened to me when she unreasonably denied my client leave to amend a complaint.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA6449
Rating:7.4

Comments:
Very pleasant and respectful to counsel. She is well prepared for argument on motions. One major gripe, however. She only will schedule/hear one contested motion per day, so her calendar is a nightmare -- e.g., 5 months to hear a demurrer. Even matters entitled to a preference take months to be heard.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA6387
Rating:1.8

Comments:
One of the worst animals I have ever met. Not fit for public service. There needs to be an active movement to get her off the bench. If she reads this post at all, she is not making any attempt to change her ways.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA6170
Rating:1.4

Comments:
One of the worst tempered judges around. As mentioned by colleagues, unpleasant, scolds and demeans parties. A real displeasure to be in front of. And...make sure you file a timely CMC statement, otherwise be prepared with your checkbook on the spot.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: CA4879
Rating:1.9

Comments:
In forty years of litigation I have never seen such a biased, openly hostile judge. She is going to do what she wants to do, with no regard for the law.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA4878
Rating:1.9

Comments:
This judge should not be on the bench. Her bias is obvious. She scowls in front of the jurors, and shows her impatience with older attorneys who are not as fast. She yells and scolds the parties and the attorneys that she doesn't like as if they were children. She has no patience and no objectivity. How she became a judge is inexplicable.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA2993
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Likely the worst judicial temperment ever witnessed, does not read the materials before her, intolerant, dictates from the bench, will not allow argument from either side and refused to allow us to be heard after it was obvious she had the facts all wrong.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: CA2509
Rating:3.1

Comments:
One of the worst judges I have seen. She will reach a decision about a case early on, and then she cannot be persuaded by the facts or the law. Very discourteous at times. Use your 170.6 challenge, particularly if you represent the plaintiff.

Other

Comment #: CA80
Rating:5.0

Comments:
Failed to grasp the alleged complaint regarding fraud and contract interpretation. Her reversal via a published decision by the Second District shows her lack of understanding and application of the law.