Maria May J Santos

Ex parte orders were granted in non-emergency situations and were not meaningfully revisited upon response, raising concerns about due process.

My experience before this commissioner was devastating and deeply unjust. The level of bias, disregard for evidence, and lack of professionalism I witnessed in her courtroom was alarming and has left me with no faith in her ability to act fairly or ethically.

Been trying cases for 20+ years in FL and criminal. She is Rude. Horrible. Demeaning. Does not really understand rules of evidence including simple hearsay and doc authentication. Oh and she is a bully that requires masks for the lawyer but not herself or her staff or lawyers she likes. She needs to go.

Ms. Santos misunderstood or misread very important parts of my declaration. She pressured me into saying something I didn’t agree with and it ended up appearing that the respondent was correct right away. I have a disability that requires me to think a few seconds before forming my statements. Ms Santos used my pauses to move onto another question, which didn’t allow me to fully answer most of my questions. She clearly does not read a petitioner’s declaration because she got most of the information wrong. I now live in fear of my life because Ms. Santos prevented me from hearing my full case.

This individual is rude, mean-spirited, and poorly educated. She clearly does not understand the role of an impartial trier of facts, and is misguided and unschooled in her application of the law, and understanding of very basic facts put in front of her. Never again will I allow this individual to preside in any of my cases. I appeared in her court for a rather straightforward, domestic violence restraining order petition, which should have been granted. A very basic application of the law should have resulted in bare minimum a protective order, and even a move out order. But this individual showed bias, prejudice, and disrespect against the petitioner and his attorney almost from the very beginning of the hearing. She does not deserve to be a bench officer, commissioner, let alone a full-fledged judge in any court. She is terrible! Paper her whenever you end up in front of her!

In nearly 30 years of practice I have never personally litigated in front of a worse judicial officer (and from my experience veteran family lawyers in this part of Los Angeles routinely avoid or try to avoid this Commissioner at all costs). This Commissioner avoids complex financial issues, fails to read submitted briefs, develops and maintains snap judgments based on lacking or inadequate evidence (or no evidence at all), and her demeanor is quite rude and dismissive. Based on what I have personally experienced and heard first hand, I urge very careful consideration of any initiative to elevate this Commissioner to the Superior Court bench as a Judge.