Michele Bell

This judge is a disgrace to the robe and to the taxpayers. Looking at these reviews they all paint the same picture of a woman scorned with a vendetta against men. She continues to make rulings ignoring evidence. The Presiding Judge must do something about what is happening. Judge Bell rules with her feelings and not with the law or evidence. She misapplies the laws and misconstrued them to her benefit. Overlooking hard evidence and making rulings that are taking good fathers from their children. Overlooking evidence and issuing support rulings that are not within CA guidelines and that are not sustainable. The way she treats pro as litigants is laughable. Talking to them like kids, openly disrespecting them in court on the record. She awards attorney fees and issues sanctions not only when not appropriate but in amounts that are not supported by an ability to pay. She needs to be investigated and disbarred for her pattern of behavior. Who is going to stop this menace wearing the robe and abusing her judicial discretion?

This judge did not appear to fully consider the evidence and financial documentation that was submitted prior to the hearing. Key materials, including income records and disclosures, were not addressed during the proceeding.

The worst judge ever. If you’re are man in front of this judge you’re in big trouble. Incompetent. lack of understanding of the family law . This judge is the worst I’ve ever encountered.

Judge Bell is so clearly biased against men it is abhorrent. She ignored expert witness testimony (forensic accountant), didn't let us properly cross-examine the accountant (then later stated we should have questioned the forensic about the issues we were bringing up in final arguments), disregarded the law, gave no real reasons for the application of sanctions (expect when you back into the math, it was to make the petitioner whole on attorney's fees), disregarded our Statement of Decision (where you ask the judge to justify their ruling) & asked opposing counsel to draft their biased version, which she ultimately signed.

I think she is incredibly smart, efficient and fair. In 12 years of practicing its rare im impressed. I really appreciate and respect the handle she has on her cases. The ither Family law judge in Santa Ana is also quite impressive. They know their calendar and they get things done.

She’s gullible, she always seems to have a bad day and take it out on who ever she wants. No empathy, doesn’t go on facts or evidence. Talks down to people, doesn’t fallow rules or her own, doesn’t want to hear that’s she’s wrong even if facts are presented. Says no testimony if the person can’t face time or be in court but lets people say and testify for them goes on hear say. Doesn’t listen to you or wants to know the facts that on the courts own website. She doesn’t admit she’s wrong when facts are presented. She obviously doesn’t have kids and makes wrong decisions for the worst. She’s the reason why the system is broken.!

This judge truly lacks common sense. She will happily strip someone of their rights with no actual evidence. She listens to allegations and hearsay rather than the truth and proof. Here’s an example- she stripped a mother of custody of her child because the ABUSIVE father with a domestic violence no contact restraining order against him decided it would be in his best interest to say “mom’s on drugs.” Just from the allegation and because he doesn’t like mom’s partner, BOOM mom is sentenced to court sanctioned supervised visits. What person in their right mind would give the ABUSER sole legal and physical custody of the child and strip the mom? The very normal, zero criminal record mom? This is abhorrent and insane. Judge Bell should be stripped of her authority for this, along with the other WOMEN responsible for doing this to a mother and a daughter, which include minors counsel and the abusive husbands female attorney. This mother and daughter will never be able to regain the time lost between them. The fact that this can actually happen should terrify every parent out there.

Judge Bell is biased plain and simple and abusing her judicial power. She ignores evidence and makes rulings based on emotions. She delays hearings for months then blames litigants for delaying proceedings. She is rude, condescending and impartial to male litigants and will ridicule you in open court. Based on all comments here this is a pattern of behavior. I’ve heard this from attorneys who are too afraid to speak up due to having to work with her.

Judge Michele Bell is a very unqualified [Redacted by Ed.] judge. She has proven that she is unable to perform the basic duties of a CA Family Court Judge. Judge Bell has shown that she is unable to remain impartial, listen to arguments, take and review documents, listen to testimony and issue rulings based on the CA family law codes. Judge Bell also has poor judicial temperament. She is arrogant, angry, and discourteous. She is bias against men and overestimates her own power. Judge Bell doesn’t understand the gravity of her decisions & rulings and they affect our lives & relationships. If you are a male and have been assigned to Judge Bell, please immediately file a 170.6 to have a new judge assigned. If unable to request a new judge, it is very important that a complaint is filed with the CA Judicial Commission for being bias, violating the CA family law codes and poor judicial temperament.

Michellle Bell doesn’t study the history of her family court cases, which creates biased decisions before even studying the facts of the case at hand. Bell needs to be investigated, as the decisions she makes tears families apart due to her incompetent knowledge of the cases she handles. She continues to decide for families and should not be responsible for this duty as she is negligent in issuing court orders that are at a discrepancy for parents and children, resulting in malice displacement with a parent that should not be granted custody.

Horrible family judge

Incompetent. Does not know the law.

Thank you for all of the warnings, I filed a 170.6 and was assigned a new judge. She'll be serving until 2029 when she is due for re-election, I would advise voting against her.

This judge has shown contempt for fathers' rights, does not follow the law and seems to be trying to right some wrong from her past by punishing fathers with her unfair, unjust, prejudicial and illegal rulings. She should be removed from the bench. She abuses her power by using it against fathers. Many attorneys do not want to be in her court because of her unfair, unjust, prejudicial and illegal rulings, and many fathers have had to incur additional legal fees to combat her wrongs. She was just reversed on appeal, and will continue to be reversed until she is removed from the bench.

She is incredibly bias and not impartial. If you are a male, immediately file a motion for another judge. She will purposely discredit you as a man, so your efforts to appeal her decision will lack merit. This woman should be removed from the bench. Incredibly condescending. She thinks she is smartest and prettiest woman in the room. Her African American and Italian heritage she uses to her advantage. She is Medusa and if you are a man she will turn you into stone. I can't emphasize this enough! If you are a man you will get falsely labeled and accused of wrong doing and immediately discredited. She is a horrible judge and cost me hundred of thousand dollars. If you're attorney likes this judge fire them immediately. Judge Bell will attempt to be polite and nice but she is a snake in the grass and deliver a lethal bite of venom into physical and emotional well being. Look up her racist position on policing in America while she was an OC Public Defender and tell me if you think you'll get a fair hearing or motion? She needs to be reported to the California State Bar and Judicial Oversight and Accountability https://voiceofoc.org/2020/06/oc-peaceful-demonstrations-against-police-brutality-continue-alongside-spreading-coronavirus/

I have been going to family court for over a decade now and had 3/4 different judges handling my case. I'm not perfect but Judge Bell is the by far the worst I have ever dealt with! She is moody, condescending, easily manipulate and flat out doesnt not have a clear understanding of family law. She definitely favors the moms and puts all the dads at a disadvantage off the bat. If you do not have an attorney, you are screwed. -She will fault you for having an opinion -court staff hates her -she lets her own emotions dictate the case and favors the moms because she's going through the same thing. -if you are going up again a narcissist, watch out because she will fall for it. Bell is a mandatory 170.6.

Judge Bell, you are not supposed to pretend to be someone else and give yourself positive fake reviews! Stop it! You are the worst judge in the history of the Great State of California. You are the destroyer of families! You should resign in shame and crawl under the rock where you were hiding. Absolutely despicable person and worse judge.

Thank you very much to judge Bell , for allowing me to reconnect with my daughter after 9 months.

I was deprived of a fair trial before an unbiased judge, violating CA state and federal constitutional due process rights. Judge Bell demonstrated partiality throughout the hearing. Shortly after the hearing began, Judge Bell started asking questions, not allowing the attorney to question. Judge Bell immediately spoke to me in a derogatory manner and with a highly derogatory connotation. Judge Bell acted dismissively and appeared angered/annoyed that I had dared to ask specific questions that were respectfully addressed toward her partiality within the hearing. Judge Bell truncated and rushed the hearing. She disallowed critical evidence and exacerbated my anxiety, then blamed me for being emotional and questioned my credibility because further testimony was not developed, then used this as a basis to deny a child custody investigation and to deny any weekends to me. Judge Bell acted more as an advocate and lawyer of the other party instead of remaining impartial. She ruled contrary to existing case law. She did not specify the reasons for her custody ruling and why she believed it was in the children's best interest. Judge Bell refused to continue the status quo parenting timeshare that existed since 2021 between the parties. She denied me any weekend time at all, and she gave me no ability to argue or put on testimony regarding why the new timeshare that was requested and was brought before the court after the conclusion of all of the evidence was not in the best interest of the minor children. The court failed to remain impartial and refused to follow the Family Code in favor of acquiescing to the highly inappropriate vindictive demand from the other party, granting their request to deny me any weekend time. Judge Bell made custody orders without legal or factual reasoning to support her orders and contravening existing law and my due process rights. Throughout the hearing, Judge Bell failed to follow the statute's requirements and displayed a lack of impartialit

Calling her a judge is an insult to all judges everywhere. She will go down in history as one of the worst judges ever. She is totally biased against men. Anyone who is intelligent—prepared to get punished, she has a huge inferiority complex. The other review is spot on. She is an automatic 170.6 in every case. She cannot even keep a staff because no one wants to work for her. She is ripping families apart and damaging children in the name of doing whatever the mother wants. She claims to be making these horrendous decisions because they are “in the best interest” of the children. But if Judge Bell really wanted to do what was in the best interest of all children involved in cases before her, then she would resign in disgrace and get a job she is qualified for—asking “would you like fries with that?” I hope her baby daddy leaves her, takes the kids, and she gets a family law judge who mistreats her the same way she has done to so many male litigants and attorneys. Bottom line — Michele Bell is a criminal with a black robe. She seems to get real pressure from inflicting unwarranted pain on men. No wonder she wasn’t on an appointment list — she is incompetent and she doesn’t seem to be aware.