"The Robing Room: VA State Judges

Hon. Gayl Branum Carr	See Rating Details
Judge District Court
Fairfax County 19	See Comments

Attorney Average Rating: 3.7 - 5 rating(s) Non-Attorney Average Rating: 1.0 - 7 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. Gayl Branum Carr

Comments

Litigant

Comment #: VA3243
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Thanks to Judge Carr...my son, a graduating senior in high school (Commencement, 5/2024) has not seen his father (me) in several years. I tried like hell to explain to Judge Carr that my son was being alienated from me - at the hands of his mother. I had PRE's that even said as much, although everyone's so scared to say, "alienation". Anyway, I have no relationship with my son. He's 17 and will be 18 in July. I tried to tell her that I was being alienated...I don't know if it was that she didn't believe me, or she didn't care. Anyway, it was in her (Judge Carr's) power to make everything alright for my son - she failed us.

I can only pray that the alienation will wear off as my son gets older, and maybe we can have some sort of relationship.

Thanks a million Judge Carr!

Other

Comment #: VA3165
Rating:Not Rated
Comments:
This judge obviously rules in the favor of narcissism.
Our children and their mental health our doomed as long as she presided over any custody cases. What I witnessed recently in her court room was cold blooded and unfair to the parties involved. She allowed a mother to come in, make false claims and granted the most disgusting order that does not help the families in the long run. I hope our mental health system can take on the case that will be coming their way after judge Carr is done ruining your family.

Other

Comment #: VA3152
Rating:1.0

Comments:
This judge literally was asleep on the bench while the fate of my 2 grandsons was being decided. Not one of the attorneys or the bailiff or social service personnel said a word. While I testified she slept. Do I need to say more?

Other

Comment #: VA3138
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Comment #: VA515, I as a community member are so sorry that what you have written appears to be absolutely unreasonable and further proves my points that we must work as a community to have the laws changed, that allow the judges in that courthouse to think they can play around -OR- appear to get some sort of kick out of not really resolving issues with our children’s and families lives through judicial power.

I had an unfortunate period to go before Ms. Carr. She was rude and dismissive to not only a person, but a “mother” as well, A.American. It’s time to petition the changes for the betterment of the children that have no choice but for their futures to be in the hands, dysfunctional approaches and opinions of these judges [Redacted by Ed.]. I always say, if we as individuals went to work and acted like these judges have and do, we could have a problem with our performance reviews and more. Well… let’s use what the legislature has for now to write out our complaints to the:

Virginia Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission
Post Office Box 367
Richmond, Virginia 23218-0367
Note: The Commission does not accept fax or e-mail complaints.

MAKE SURE YOU GET A RECEIPT FOR YOUR MAIL to the commission. MAKE SURE YOU KEEP OR SCAN THE COPY THAT YOU SENT TO THEM TO YOURSELF. Always ask for who you are speaking to when you call to follow-up.

Let’s work together to ask for what our families need, our children need and our communities need.

Hope to be able to speak to any impacted persons/families that have been affected by this court dysfunctional system…

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: VA523
Rating:9.5

Comments:
Appeared before this judge multiple times. She was matter-of-fact, no-nonsense; cared about child's welfare. Polite to litigants and attorneys. One of my clients no longer could afford an attorney, and we felt comfortable with him proceeding pro se. He reported back that she was fair and concerned for the child; she granted custody to him.

Litigant

Comment #: VA515
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Well….Judge Carr. My son (myself and his mother) were in your courtroom when he was 2-4yrs old. You allowed his mother to relocate with her husband (oh but wait…we found that out the day of trial), after representing that she had a $100K job waiting for her.

I relocated….

Anyway….you did find that my son had a healthy attachment to me, but refused to allow me any more than weekend “visitation” while in Virginia…and refused to alter the Order upon our relocation.

I represented to you for 2.5 years - regularly that I was being alienated.

Well my son is 15 now. The alienation agenda of his mother was successful. My son represented to his school that he was suicidal and didn’t want any visitation with me.

Through the court system - we are now estranged.

Thanks Judge Carr

#SOMUCHMORETOTHESTORY

(Like all the witnesses for me and against her - that you found reason to overlook)

THE KICKER: A BLACK FEMALE JUDGE…MAKES IT SO THAT “ANOTHER” BLACK BOY DOESN’T GET TO BE RAISED BY HIS BLACK FATHER.

P.S. I wonder if the Black mom’s nuptials to a white man had anything to do with it?

Just curious.

Oh, and for any who wonder. This Black father has never been in jail, holds 3 Masters Degrees, is a retired military veteran, who’s working on his PhD, and has NEVER been in trouble with the law.

***MAKE IT MAKE SENSE***

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: VA181
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Seriously wish complaints could be officially made BEFORE she screws me over for the second time but until then.. she’s just awful and rude.. no place deciding anything that goes on in a child’s life

Other

Comment #: VA180
Rating:1.0

Comments:
I’ve had this judge before and I knew she had some bias against me but I wasn’t sure what it was. Last night I read the comments on this website and learned she is against pro se. Today I had a hearing and I can 100% guarantee that is the bias she holds. The hearing was virtual and she kept me MUTED the entire hearing. She would only ask my ex and his lawyer questions, it was if I wasn’t even there. I’m not sure anyone explained to her what her kind of “judging” should be doing.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: VA122
Rating:2.0

Comments:
Judge Carr exhibits extreme total bias with her decisions. She is highly politicized and if you do not align with her belief system then you will come out of her courtroom thoroughly punished. Lawyers openly speak of her extreme bias in Fairfax. She represents everything that is wrong with the judiciary. Absolutely terrible.

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Comment #: VA108
Rating:2.1

Comments:
This judge is one of the most biased and hateful I have encountered in 30 years of practicing law. She is rude, entitled, and treats people like rubbish - especially if they are pro se. The misery left in her wake has ruined families, put children in danger, and left them for broke. Disgusting

Other

Comment #: VA97
Rating:1.0

Comments:
I'm a witness to three of her rulings over the past several years.

She comes off as cold and angry, with a clear disdain for anyone Pro Se. She seems to decide cases before they start, on a mission to punish the side she's going to rule against. After her verbal assaults she likes to stare over her glasses in long pauses, as if to sadistically breathe in the aftermath. Even the bailiffs let a cringe or look of pity slip out on occasion.

Judge Carr seems to ask questions of her target only to ignore them completely or to use their responses to attack them. She barely glances at evidence from either side yet declares her chosen the gospel.

Forcing someone to work two jobs to barely make ends meet means next to no time to spend with their kids, and it's certainly not quality time. Bringing financial ruin to either side is never going to be in the best interest of the children. Allowing those with the means to hire council the freedom to game the system and financially destroy those without the means just feels criminal.

Shame.

Other

Comment #: VA75
Rating:1.0

Comments:
Hello All,

I have to admit, Comment VA56 is correct.
As I walked into the courtroom, an African American woman sat with her glasses at the tip of her nose, while looking over the frame at times with a very unwarranted demeanor and attitude filled with impatience. Judge Gayl B. Carr was her name. In family matters why are judges upset and disgruntled, when they sign up for the job and are to be of service to those who are having misunderstandings or more. I tried not to focus on Judge Carr's snappy and dismissive energy, because it was a little difficult to see beyond the dismissive attitude and unnecessary cut throat responses FOR NO REASON ladies and gentlemen, mom and dads, siblings and friends. No reason at all.

I was shocked to have to seen Judge Carr, not exhibit the mutual respect for both parties (Attorney & Pro Se). I was shocked to see that Judge Carr's energy was far from inviting, especially because it was less than 30mins, and she could reflect this much disease, in situations that call for mentorship, direction, discernment, Psychological instinct (her B.A.), a true family vision and not just the states version of "best interest of the child."

Women of all races, we can't say that we do community service at local schools, workshops and outreach venues, yet sit on a bench and think that community service stops. I can only hope that each child on Judge Carr's list of cases, get the best that God has for them and not from the person that I sat and watched in the Fairfax County Court that day.

Civil Litigation - Private

Comment #: VA56
Rating:4.0

Comments:
She’s a typical bureaucrat. She learned a “process” in law school and she doesn’t appear to know how to maneuver in a courtroom outside of the confines of that rigid protocol. She appears to cater to the litigant with the most money.