Sample Surveys
RateTheCourts.com allows visitors to anonymously evaluate the performance and qualifications of over 23,500 judges and judicial nominees using judicial evaluation surveys. Survey criteria is based, in part, upon the American Bar Association's Black Letter Guidelines for the Evaluation of Judicial Performance (February 2005). The surveys contain interactive criteria allowing visitors to rate a judge or nominee based upon their legal ability, integrity, impartiality, communication skills, professionalism, temperament, administrative capacity, and other criteria. Each survey has a section that allows narrative comments about the judge. After submitting a survey, the overall results are updated and displayed instantly. To assist visitors, many of the surveys have a link to the judge’s official court website or biographical information.
There are several different formats for the surveys. The following are links to sample surveys, which you may want to try out before completing a survey for a judge or nominee:
Sample Appellate Judge (select "Rate Judge")
Sample Trial Judge (select "Rate Judge")
Sample Appellate Court Nominee (select "Rate Judge")
Sample Trial Court Nominee (select "Rate Judge")
We currently have surveys for virtually all of the following:
- All courts and judges of the federal judiciary;
- All appellate courts and judges of all states and territories;
- All trial courts and judges of the following states:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawai'i
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Virginia
- Washington
- Wisconsin
We are continually adding courts and judges to our forum, and will soon have surveys and forums for virtually every court and judge in the country.