Maria de Jesus Santovenia

With over 25 years of professional experience, I feel compelled to raise serious concerns regarding the conduct of this Judge. In my experience, this has been one of the most challenging courtroom environments I have encountered. The Judge routinely limits or prevents parties from speaking, often cutting hearings significantly shorter than scheduled without allowing adequate time for explanation or argument. Additionally, there are repeated delays in reviewing and signing petitions or motions, sometimes taking several days, which impacts the timely progress of cases. There have also been instances where the Judge’s tone and demeanor toward those in the courtroom have been unprofessional, including speaking in a raised voice and, at times, instructing individuals to “be quiet” or muting them without allowing them to be heard. This creates an environment that feels discourteous and does not reflect the level of respect expected in judicial proceedings. Overall, there appears to be an inconsistent and, at times, unfair handling of cases, which raises concerns about whether all parties are being given equal opportunity to present their matters fully. Given the seriousness of these concerns, I respectfully request that a formal review be conducted, including an audit of courtroom recordings and case handling practices, to determine whether proper judicial standards are being consistently upheld.

With all due respect, I would like to formally express my concerns regarding the conduct and handling of proceedings by this Judge. Over the course of nearly three years, I have observed a consistent pattern that raises serious concerns about fairness and due process.

Worse judge that I have experience in over 30 years. She does not follow the statutes or rules. She wants things done her way without any concern to what the law actually requires. She is trying to also legislate from the bench. impossible to work with on probate cases, besides the fact that her availability to schedule hearings is impossible. How many days does she work each month? How does she stay on the bench? She is causing great damage to probate administrations. Does she even read the statutes? I don't think that she cares about applying the law. She is Just awful.

Horrible.judge

Worst judge I have ever experienced in my life. Biased, rude, arrogant, comes unprepared for hearings and makes rushed uneducated decisions. She doesn’t know the law, introduces unnecessary delays to proceedings by making constant adversarial rulings. She is disrespectful to attorneys and thinks she outsmarts everyone in the room. She abuses her power by instilling fear. She is an emotional terror to anyone having to deal with her.

Horrible. Abusive bias and manipulative. She yells at you to shut you down from arguing against her predetermination of your case matter that day. Keep it up and many persons will be ruined because of her. Every review of her below is true. She is an embarrassment to her own coworkers andvjudiciary and no one thinks she is of right mind.

I have practiced law for over 30 years. In the last few years, I have had the pleasure in practicing in Judge Santovenia's courtroom. On every occasion, I have observed Judge Santovenia treat everyone with respect and professionalism. She takes the time to really understand each case and the applicable law. She also moves her cases appropriately and is fair with her rulings.

I have been a civil litigator for a long time … longer than, it seems, some of these puerile commenters have been alive. I practice in state and some federal courts across the country. By my experince, Judge Santovenia has been a great judge. She has been dutiful, she has read, and she has endured to make the right decision, even when not favorable to me. I regret that with her move to probate I will not have her on my cases.

She has a well deserved reputation as a loud, rude, and opinionated judge with absolutely no basis for her arrogance.

` One of the worst Judges I have ever had in almost 20 years of practice. Clearly does not read the motions, and often did not even understand what was happening in the hearing. God help those in Probate, this Judge needs to come off the bench. She picks a favorite and ignores the law.

One of the worst judges to ever sit on the The 11th Circuit. Lazy, stupid, incompetent and biased. Yet, she keeps getting re-elected. So much for the Dade electorate.

Unearned arrogance defines this judge. She is loud and overbearing when she should be listening and learning. I am astounded at her misapprehension that she is the smartest person in the room. She really needs to understand that the attorneys that appear in front of her know their cases and the applicable law much, much better than she.