Testimonials
Throughout his judicial career, Judge Riemer has frequently been complimented on the manner in which he has conducted the trials over which he has presided. Here are just a few of the reviews by attorneys, jurors, parties, and even other judges.
FROM JUDGES
"Before I was appointed to the bench, I tried a murder case before Judge Craig Riemer. As an attorney who at the time had over 23 years’ experience trying criminal cases, I found Judge Riemer to be extremely knowledgeable, hardworking and fair. Judge Riemer’s questioning of the jurors in the jury-selection process was the best that I had ever seen. He treated both the defense and the prosecution with the utmost respect while keeping the attorneys accountable to the established time schedules. He ensured that every minute of the trial was productive. As soon as my jury went into deliberation, he immediately started another trial. He is one of the hardest working judges I have encountered in my legal career.
“As a new judge, I turned to Judge Riemer on many occasions for guidance on complicated legal issues. He has a reputation among Riverside County judges as one of our most learned jurists. Judge Riemer is truly an outstanding judicial officer.”
Hon Elaine Johnson
Judge, Riverside Superior Court, Murrieta
"As a former Deputy District Attorney who tried a case in front of Judge Riemer, I saw him as a fair, thoughtful, and firm judge. The people of Riverside County would be well served by re-electing Judge Riemer."
Hon. John M. Monterosso
Judge, Riverside Superior Court, Hemet
"I have known Judge Riemer for nearly thirty years, as a worthy adversary in court, as a fellow research attorney at the Court of Appeal and now as a colleague on the Riverside Superior Court. He is, by far, one of the smartest people I know, highly ethical, hard-working, and always determined to do the right thing under the law. Additionally, he has always given generously of his time to the Riverside community in which he has lived and raised a family for over three decades."
Hon. Sharon Waters
Judge, Riverside Superior Court, Riverside
"I have known Judge Craig Riemer for 18 years. He was a fine lawyer when I first met him, and he is a fine judge now.
"Judge Riemer has a breadth of experience in many areas of law. He believes in due process and fair treatment for every litigant in every case, whether civil or criminal. He also strongly believes that the victim of crime must be heard.
"He is a leader on the bench, having been elected by the judges of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties to represent the Inland Empire at the statewide level.
"In short, Judge Riemer is serving our court, the legal system, and the public very well. He should absolutely be re-elected."
Hon. Thomas Cahraman
Judge, Riverside Superior Court, Riverside
"I have known Judge Craig Riemer since I was a law student in 1988. When I came to Riverside as a summer law clerk, and the following year as a new lawyer, Judge Riemer was one of the senior lawyers in my first law firm. His patience, knowledge, and legal and communication skills were a strong influence on my early development as a lawyer. Over the years, as we worked together in a variety of community organizations, his commitment to the community also served as an example of what it meant to be a member of this community – not just the legal community, but the community at large. As just one example, I now serve as an Assistant Scoutmaster in the same Boy Scout Troop in which he was an Assistant Scoutmaster.
"We also worked together as leaders of the Riverside County Bar Association. Judge Riemer’s attention to detail, ability to communicate effectively, and make hard decisions were instrumental in guiding the Bar Association through a financial crisis in 1999-2000. He took on the responsibility of managing the Association’s office building, and effectively worked with tenants to improve not only the condition and desirability of the building, but also its profitability.
"Since joining Judge Riemer on the Riverside County bench, I have sought his advice and guidance on a wide variety of issues I have faced. As I expected, his advice, knowledge and experience have been second to none."
Hon. John Vineyard
Judge, Riverside Superior Court, Riverside
"I have known Judge Craig Riemer very well for over 30 years, first as a fellow lawyer, and now as a colleague on the bench. He has tirelessly served the rule of law and his community with his keen intellect, extraordinary work ethic, and unwavering integrity. He has the courage to do what is right, even in the face of powerful opposition. We are fortunate that he has been willing to serve our community for so many years."
Hon. Roger Luebs
Judge, Riverside Superior Court, Riverside
FROM ATTORNEYS
“I recently appeared for trial before Judge Riemer, and even though he ruled against my clients by granting the other side's motion for nonsuit, I wholeheartedly support him. Judge Riemer was thoughtful, prepared and thoroughly considered each side's position. One cannot ask for more from a judge.
George M. Rosenberg, Attorney at Law, Los Angeles (3/17/12)
“I was a prospective juror in a criminal case in Judge Riemer’s courtroom in 2011 and watched him select the jury. Judge Riemer was meticulous in ensuring that he was fair to both sides, without favoring either the prosecution or the defense. He displayed the impartiality that we would all want in a person exercising the discretion to take away a person’s liberty.”
Scott Talkov, Attorney at Law, Reid & Hellyer, Riverside
"I worked in the Orange County District Attorney’s office both during and after law school, and I am now a criminal defense attorney. As a trial attorney who has seen the practice of law from both sides of criminal litigation, I am always happy when I am assigned to a judge, like you, whose background is either in appellate research or civil law. I know these are the best trial judges in the Superior Court.
"I tried a serious case in your courtroom several years ago. You showed complete respect to my client, the defendant, and also to all attorneys litigating the case. We brought you some bizarre issues, but you researched every issue to assure the updated law was properly applied. I never had a feeling that you had an interest in which way the case went.
"The bottom line is that attorneys and litigants can feel safe if they must play out their true life dramas under your supervision, whether civil or criminal, because your background is complete. You are a writer, a researcher, you have experience in appellate work so you know what must occur in a courtroom and how. Having experience in civil law, you can adapt to a case whether it is about a business, a farm, a medical procedure or a crime. Unlike many prosecutors, you were not trained to choose a side and move the case a particular way.
"We need more judges like you, not less. Riverside cannot afford to lose you. You are a valuable asset to the bench, a truly experienced and fair judge. I look forward to seeing you in Riverside presiding over trials, whether they are mine, or others."
Ann Cunningham, Attorney at Law, Laguna Beach (3/24/12)
"I have known Judge Craig Riemer for more than 20 years. During much of that time we worked together as research attorneys on the staff of Justice Art McKinster. I know Judge Riemer to be an outstanding lawyer. He has superior knowledge of both criminal and civil law and takes great pride in doing his job thoroughly and well. Judge Riemer is hardworking, honest, and compassionate. It would be difficult to find a more dedicated judge."
Jody Isenberg, Senior Attorney, California Court of Appeal (4/4/12)
“As an attorney with 20 years’ experience in many areas of practice, I understand the importance of a judge who possesses a broad background in many areas of the law. With challenges to court funding, judges are sometimes pressed into service in a variety of assignments and court rooms. Further, the greater a judge’s breadth of legal experience, the greater is the judge’s understanding of the interplay and relationship between different areas of law. For example, family law and juvenile law can be interrelated as families and children may at times come into the jurisdiction of both courts at different times throughout the life of a case. For both of those reasons, our courts need judges who have broad and varied experience.
“With a background in criminal, civil, probate, family and juvenile law, Judge Riemer has that kind of broad experience. Moreover, Judge Riemer is well respected in the legal community. I endorse Judge Riemer for re-election.”
Michael Harrington, Attorney, Palm Springs (4/22/12)
FROM JURORS
“Judge Craig Riemer is very kind, humble, and a good person!”
A juror's response to a jury service survey (3/23/04)
“Dear Judge Riemer, as a juror in your courtroom, I want to thank you for the informative and fair way you treated everyone. This was my first jury experience and I was most impressed with your savvy, humor, and compassion. I think you should go for the Supreme Court appointment. We need more people like you! Many thanks.”
Letter from a Juror (3/6/08)
“I would like to comment on Judge Riemer! I thought he was fantastic in explaining things and encouraging us to speak up. Oh, that all judges would be like this. In no way was he condescending or unfair. Thank you for a great experience!”
A juror’s response to a jury service survey (3/23/04)
“Your Honor, I would like to thank you and your staff for making a difficult situation as comfortable as possible. The respect for the law and its application was evident in the way this trial was conducted. I was proud to be part of it. The lawyers were human and passionate about what they do, and that speaks well for all of us.”
Letter from a Juror (7/30/10)
“I am writing to comment on [Judge Riemer] in particular. I have never served on a jury and was only summoned once before in my life, in another state. . . . This time I want to thank the judge for a great learning experience. His comments to the prospective jurors taught me a great deal about the legal system and how it operates. I was also impressed with his patience with our responses and his ability to rephrase his questions in various ways until individuals could better understand their meanings. I am sorry not to have had the privilege of serving on a jury with such an excellent judge. At the same time, I am relieved at not have that great a responsibility. His explanation that jurors do NOT have responsibility for deciding on the punishment if they do indeed vote that the accused is guilty was another lesson he taught me, and I have even greater respect now for judges like him who take on that even greater responsibility, especially in criminal cases, such as the one we would have been considering. Knowing that, I would much more willingly serve on a jury at a future time.”
E-mail from a juror (10/23/07)
“I have served jury duty several times in Orange County and it was always handled in a professional manner, but this court service was exceptional! I have never had a judge (Judge Riemer) take the time to address a jury pool as an orientation. He not only answered questions that made us feel more comfortable about the procedures for the day—he made us feel “special” and “privileged” to be given an opportunity to serve. Thank you for your time!”
A juror’s response to a jury service survey (6/10/05)
“Judge Riemer gave an excellent dissertation on why we should appreciate being selected for jury duty. . . . I was encouraged and I wanted to clap when he was done. Thank you, Judge Riemer.”
A juror’s response to a jury service survey (2/23/12)
FROM PARTIES IN LAWSUITS TRIED BEFORE JUDGE RIEMER
“Your Honor, may I just say one thing before I go? . . . I was charged with something that I did not do, and it was very, I was very, very scared of what twelve people could decide . . . . But having you as my judge, you showed fairness and kindness and you looked at me as being not guilty and that hasn’t been the case with, that hasn’t always been the case in the last year and a half that this has been going on, and I thank God that I had you as my judge and I’m very thankful for you sitting up there.”
Comments of a defendant in a criminal case after a jury found him to be not guilty
“Dear Honorable Judge Riemer, Please accept my heartfelt gratitude for having [been the] judge on my case. Even though my . . . experience is an unfortunate one, it left me with a good understanding and respect for the court system and its Judges. Your honor, I hereby wish to thank you.”
Letter from an unsuccessful plaintiff in a civil case (10/30/06)
" I have appeared in Judge Riemer's court several times. He is always extremely well prepared, listens to each litigant and makes very fair rulings. . . The law is the only protection we have in a civilized society. Keep up the good work, Judge Riemer. You are what "justice" is about."
Anonymous litigant (3/19/12)
FROM THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE
"We need more judges like Judge Craig Riemer. He has the experience and knowledge in all areas of law to ensure that a fair and just decision is provided to all before him. "
Brent Lee, Riverside