Esther Salas

Forceful and pleasant personality, a desire to hone in on relevant facts with precision, impressed by lawyers who are masters of the facts of their cases.

Judge Salas has no business being on the federal bench. Just another example of political cronyism. Judge Salas show no ability to comprehend complex legal issues, or to even try to understand them. She refuses to hear oral argument even on summary judgment motions, meaning she has no interest in hearing the issues explained by the lawyers that know them best. She also takes forever to decide everything. Basically, she is willing to accept a nomination, a lifetime appointment and a paycheck while being unwilling to do the work or acquire the knowledge necessary to do even an adequate job. Just another example of the dumbing down of the federal bench.

Lacks the qualities expected of a federal judge on the civil litigation side. She seems to struggle with even the most straight toward legal issues. Her limited practical understanding of civil litigation (combined with the lack of a broad based education background) renders her unsuitable to handle complex civil litigation. Cases get away from her.

In case No. 2:11-cv-02307 (ES)(JAD) this Judge has shown that she is not interested in litigation when a pro-se is in between, even that the case implies elder abuse like the present one. She appears to be biased and prejudiced. In the said case has ruled only one time without significance. She has been and outsider to the case itself with no control in the Magistrate Judge that has spoilt the the whole case.

While willing to do what it takes to in her role as a mediator, I have reservations about her ability to handle complex civil litigation issues, both from a legal scholarhsip standpoint as well as from a more basic understanding of nuances and requirements of the underlying Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. In the matters I have had before her (never criminal) I have seen a tendancy for issues to get away from her, to the detriment of the parties. This could be due to her lack of any real pre-judicial experience in this area.

Judge Salas was the last in a long line of Magistrate Judges assigned an environmental civil matter with almost 300 parties which had languished on the docket for almost ten years. She immersed herself in what, at that time, was an unfamiliar area of civil litigation and, without strong-arming any party or group, helped the parties reach agreement on a mutually acceptable allocation.

I've only had arraignments before her, but the fact that earlier this week she kept more than 50 people waiting two hours to assume the bench is a terrible reflection on her character/courtesy. After being two hours late, no "I'm sorry," nothing. And the procedure her clerk uses to write up bonds takes interminably long as well. Every other district has this worked out smoothly. If you appear before her on a criminal case (on a duty day), be prepared for a wait. She's a bit condescending as well and lets you know she thinks she's smarter than you. Even though she won't stick her neck out, and nearly uniformly grants the government's bail requests, I saw a glimmer of compassion in some of her bail decisions.

Judge Salas successfully mediated a difficult multi-plaintiff employment matter for me. She is a terrific mediator - smart, hard-working and attuned to the needs and concerns of the plaintiffs.

she has no understanding regarding civil litigation whatsoever

Magistrate Salas has always been a pleasant, even handed judge, from the day one, but when she first went on to the bench, she seemed out of touch with Civil litigation; however over the last two years she has really managed to get the knack of what needs to be done, and has learned to see thru the posturing that is inevitable in this practice, and cut thru it without losing her compassion for the parties.