Commissioner David J. Cowan, well let me say this, a week ago I had never heard of him and perhaps it is because he is relatively new (2 years)? Or, I just did not pay attention to this part of the county’s divorce courts. The “commish” received his BA from Columbia University and his JD from Hastings College of Law….impressive educational background. And Poof! He gets a spot on the bench…I am sure it was not that easy..he had to have some support.
Two years on the bench as a “commissioner,” prior to that he was a lawyer who practiced real estate, business, tax and estate plaintiff and insurance litigation, so my research tells me. It is not easy finding much on this particular commissioner…a few inappropriate remarks on the net, funny there are several dozen of those about me. Ahh, who cares, they did spell my name right, that is all I care about. But for a commissioner with hopes of getting appointed or elected a Judge… Getting to the position of commissioner, that is not too shabby, either.
What was also tough for us at DesperateExes.com was what we witnessed in this commissioner’s courtroom. “Orders” that made one wonder, where did that come from, given the evidence before this bench officer, and his lack of common sense in one particular case…it was one of the worst decisions I had ever witnessed ( Old Street Cop thinking out loud). A few lawyers told me that going into chambers in Dept. E is also not always a good idea, as you should want all discussions on the record. Why is that?
Robert M. Cohen, Lawyer, when contacted by DesperateExes.com, told us, “I like him.” Avi Levy, Lawyer, also told us, “I like his accent” and “he seems like a nice enough guy.” The rest of the comments I feel would do an injustice to the bench and also prevent DesperateExes.com from ever reconsidering changing our thoughts (one negative comment was from a “shrink,” that one did not count) . Our thoughts on divorce rulings in the Santa Monica Family Law Court, where unlike some places you have choices, here my dears, you have only one: David J. Cowan, Commissioner. To some it must be like wanting a nice chocolate eclair with creamy custard filling and a nice cup of coffee. And when the menu arrives there is only one choice, day-old donuts and a warm cup of water, Hmmmph.
In some cases I wonder does a commissioner get to choose where they go, like traffic court or civil, or???? Do they request a place they might enjoy, or is it “good to have you on board,” go to Dept. %$^& and have fun! ” And you wake up and you are in DIVORCE court, ouch! I have three very good friends who are judges and I recall when two of them went to judge school…can you imagine what that must be like! A bunch of lawyers learning how to be judges!
We will be watching and paying more attention to Commissioner Cowan’s court in the future and will re-visit our thoughts on this subject.
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I was ROYALLY screwed by him too! When I hired my attorney, and told him what his previous court order was regarding custody of my 6 month old daughter, he said, “Commisioner Cowan STRIKES AGAIN!” Best of luck to anyone in his court.
My ex-husband abused me, severely, both physically and emotionally. He has been arrested twice, in two different states, for felony assault against me. My son and I, after the first arrest, were taken out of our family home, which he refused to leave, and were placed by the Department of Children and Families in a domestic violence shelter. After our divorce, in February 2007, he continued his abusive, obsessive abuse and attempts to control my life. He disappeared for several months after his second arrest (after being bailed out of jail on 50,000 bail) but reappeared months later, after Commissioner David Cowan said he could not help me obtain anything other than a TRO, as my ex could not be located to be served. After a few months, I figured my ex had fled back to his home in the UK, and decided that I could not keep going back to court every two weeks to have the TRO reissued. I let it drop..big mistake. My ex called me in January, 2008 (after his second arrest in September of ’07) and accused me of “keep (his) son from him”. He then spent the next few years taking me back to court – Comm. Cowan’s court, in an attempt to use the joint custody of our son to extort money from my family, and constantly change the visitation orders. Comm. Cowan has NEVER read any of the documents my attorneys have prepared, because this is a cut and dry case. Regardless, three years later, and over 150,000 in attorney fees loaned to me by my family (the ex is purportedly ex-parte, although every one of his documents are prepared by an expensive attorney). Despite my ex’s behavior, including his prior arrests, he has filed 18 ex-parte applications, and has not paid a penny of child or spousal support for 9 months! Yet still, Comm. Cowan “can’t figure out what’s going on”. He’s already ordered a focused evaluation, which was a waste of time for us, and achieved nothing. Months later he’s now ordered a FULL custody evaluation, “to get to the bottom of this”. HUH? If this idiot can’t figure out what’s going on in this case, having seen us in court for THREE years already, then perhaps the problem lies WITH THE MORONIC, IDIOT, BIASED, JUDGE! I have many gay friends, who are like family to me, but even they agree that besides the fact that he is gay, unmarried and has no kids of his own, the simple fact that he has never had ANY experience in a court before – ESPECIALLY not a family law court, is just shocking and totally unbelievable. How the hell did this unfeeling, non-empathetic jerk get this gig? Find the criminal who appointed this man to this position and you’ll find another gay man with ties to Cowan, no doubt.
So far Cowen has not made the best choices in the best interest of our child either.
I am sick to my stomach to see how a judge can make malice choices for families… He is completely bias and full of unethical rules.. I have been in court 20-times for a year and 6 months and he continues to have me jump through hulps.. I pray this courtroom is closed, with the massive cuts.. He needs to be remove,,,
This Commissioner does not have to live the results of his detrimental decisions he places on families. He is biased and unexperienced.
It seems that too many families and especially children are suffering and having their lives changed in a negative way based on his very poor decisions.
I urge everyone out there who may have even the slightest chance of going before him –
PLEASE DO NOT STIPULATE to this commissioner!! Not only will your lives and the lives of your children being ruined, but you will spend WAY to much time and money. Ask for a REAL JUDGE!
This Commissioner takes WAY TOO LONG to make decisions. He FAILS to help children in a timely manner. He FAILS to see high conflict abusive people for who they are. He FAILS to understand anything related to Domestic Violence what that does to victims. He FAILS the victims by rewarding the abusers. He FAILS to see the truth and accepts hearsay as evidence. He FAILS by not knowing the law. He FAILS by letting bullying lawyers gain advantage in his courtroom. He FAILS by trusting manipulative liars at their word, thereby damaging the children. He FAILS to reprimand poor behavior in his courtroom and is influenced by it. He is too impressed by resumes and so called experts and FAILS to see the truth. He needs some serious schooling on all things related to DV. He needs to read the Judicial Councils’ guidelines for dealing with DV Cases to empower the victims and the children in his courtroom, rather than letting the abusers continue to control the situation. Shame on him!
I heard he was a fair man, who took too long to make decisions, but after reading these posts, I am terrified! My bf was very abusive, was arrested, a drug user, our daughter is afraid of her father from what she’s witnessed, yet Cowan said ok to 50/50 right off the bat. What is wrong with this man? Shouldn’t he know the law? I hope he reads these threads.
Okay if Cowan is gay, that would give me hope that he would believe in freedoms and think outside the box. But, he is the most conservative, freedom hating, control mongering judge I have ever come across. He implements the most disgraceful unconstitutional orders that violate a person’s personal freedom. Don’t get me started on what he ordres for children! He doesn’t know the law and binds and restricts the ones looking to the court for relief and safety. Disgraceful and untrustworthy and illogical. Be afraid, very afraid!
Hmmm…So today in court Cowan grants a restraining order for 1 year against a woman whose ex threatened to kill her after she obtained a small claims judgment against him, keyed her car, harassed her incessently…and why? ONLY because he attached an email to his application in which she called her ex a HOMO. Guess it struck a raw nerve with the commish, who is gay, but isn’t that abusing the legal system because of your own (closeted) issues? I guess there really is no such thing as justice in Cowan’s court room. He must know (or blow) someone to get to be commissioner out of thin air…
I witnessed the commish side with a convicted woman beating drug dealer. What ever the woman beating drug dealer said the commish seamed eager to believe. You do not have to sign the paper agreeing to have your case heard in his court room. You have the legal right to have your case heard by a judge.
My case has been in front of Commissioner Cowan for over three years now. Every time we are in front of him he makes orders that completely contradict the previous orders he put in place. It’s as if his rulings are completely arbitrary depending on his mood that day. It’s the kids who end up paying. Cowan has no interest at all in protecting children from dangerous situations. I’ve presented evidence showing incredibly excessive school absences while our children are with my ex-husband, my ex-husband has been homeless more than once, he abuses our children mentally and emotionally, he is negligent of their medical needs, and Cowan continues to order 50/50 custody. It’s pathetic. That man has no business being in family court. Children aren’t experiments.
I went to court on 04/14/2011. My husband is emotionally and mentally unstable. He has NEVER slept in the same room as me and our 18 month old son when we were living together. NOW my husband wants to spend nights with my 18 month old son who still breast feeds. The judge granted him that. I am shocked. There has been an incident involving the police where my husband said he was going to kill me in front of our baby. The judge said that was an isolated incident. I FEAR MY SON WILL BE MENTALLY SCARED FROM THIS ABSURD TYPE OF AUTO-PILOT JUSTICE SYSTEM.
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER stipulate to this man who is not a real judge. You have the right to have your case before a REAL JUDGE. You can make this known orally to the clerk before your hearing when you do not have an attorney or have the attorney say you will not stipulate to him. If there is a history of violence, abuse of any kind in your relationship and you have children, do not allow Cowan to hear your case. He knows nothing about children or families in crisis, he weakens the victim, makes willy nilly orders, does not follow the law (does not seem to know the family code) and rewards the most antagonistic, conflict acting party. Even the ladies in the domestic violence clinic know not to stipulate to him, they will tell you as you fill out your restraining order, go downtown, to a real judge. But, research the judges, you have the right to say no, with no reason to that first choice, too. Like stay away from Goldberg and Gordon if you can, if you do not have an attorney.
I was seen by Commissioner Cowan and he screwed me as well. I guess he is too stupid to be a Judge!!!!
Just finished 5 months in his court room and I am exhausted. I started to type down all that I went through but I just can’t…Needless to say it was a horrible experience with many points made in previous points true and happening right before my eyes…I thought the law was supposed to be judged fairly – But not here
This a nightmare commissioner need to go HOME or a Senior Alzheimer Center he doesn’t remember and understand the LAW, Cowan need to take NAMENDA ups…Good luck if any visit Santa Monica Family Court …
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