Recommendations for Judicial Retention Recommendations for Judicial Retention
Commissions on Judicial Performance were created in 1988 by the Colorado General Assembly for the purpose of providing voters with fair, responsible and constructive evaluations of trial and appellate judges and justices seeking retention in general elections. The results of the evaluations also provide judges with information that can be used to improve their professional skills as judicial officers. The Chief Justice, the Governor, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House appoint state and local commission members. Each commission is a ten member body comprised of four attorneys and six non-attorneys.
The State Commission on Judicial Performance developed evaluation techniques for district and county judges, justices of the supreme court, and judges of the court of appeals. According to statute, those criteria include the following: integrity; knowledge and understanding of substantive, procedural and evidentiary law; communication skills; preparation, attentiveness, and control over judicial proceedings; sentencing practices; docket management and prompt case disposition; administrative skills; punctuality; effectiveness in working with participants in the judicial process; and service to the profession and the public.
The trial judges' evaluations result from survey questionnaires completed by attorneys (including district attorneys and public defenders), jurors, litigants, probation officers, social services case workers, crime victims, court personnel and law enforcement officers. The evaluations also result from the following: relevant docket and sentencing statistics; a personal interview with the judge; and information from other appropriate sources, such as court observations. The evaluation of the Justices of the Colorado Supreme Court and the Judges of the Colorado Court of Appeals is the product of an interview with the State Commission on Judicial Performance; survey results from attorneys, and survey results from Colorado trial judges.
Each evaluation includes a narrative profile with the recommendation stated as "retain", "do not retain", or "no opinion". The enabling legislation requires a detailed explanation accompany a "no opinion" recommendation.
Voters statewide vote on Justices of the Colorado Supreme Court, Judges of the Court of Appeals, and District Court Judges for the district in which they reside. Voters will vote only for County Court Judges seeking retention in their respective counties. The following are complete narrative profiles and recommendations on retention for the 104 justices and judges subject to the retention election on November 3, 1998.
For additional information please contact Jane Howell or Jon Kvale at the Office of the State Court Administrator at (303) 861-1111.
COUNTY:
COLORADO SUPREME COURT
COLORADO COURT OF APPEALS
1ST JUDICIAL DISTRICT
(Gilpin, Jefferson Counties)
DISTRICT COURT
GILPIN COUNTY COURT
JEFFERSON COUNTY COURT
2ND JUDICIAL DISTRICT
(Denver County)
DISTRICT COURT
DENVER COUNTY COURT
3RD JUDICIAL DISTRICT
(Huerfano, Las Animas Counties)
HUERFANO COUNTY COURT
LAS ANIMAS COUNTY COURT
4TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
(El Paso, Teller Counties)
DISTRICT COURT
EL PASO COUNTY COURT
5TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
(Clear Creek, Eagle, Lake, Summit Counties)
DISTRICT COURT
EAGLE COUNTY COURT
6TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
(Archuleta, La Plata, San Juan Counties)
DISTRICT COURT
ARCHULETA COUNTY COURT
LA PLATA COUNTY COURT
7TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
(Delta, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Montrose, Ouray, San Miguel Counties)
DISTRICT COURT
HINSDALE COUNTY COURT
MONTROSE COUNTY COURT
OURAY COUNTY COURT
SAN MIGUEL COUNTY COURT
8TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
(Jackson, Larimer Counties)
DISTRICT COURT
LARIMER COUNTY COURT
9TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
(Garfield, Pitkin, Rio Blanco Counties)
GARFIELD COUNTY COURT
PITKIN COUNTY COURT
RIO BLANCO COUNTY COURT
10TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
(Pueblo County)
DISTRICT COURT
PUEBLO COUNTY COURT
11TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
(Chaffee, Custer, Fremont, Park Counties)
DISTRICT COURT
CUSTER COUNTY COURT
PARK COUNTY COURT
12TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
(Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Mineral, Rio Grande, Saguache Counties)
CONEJOS COUNTY COURT
RIO GRANDE COUNTY COURT
13TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
(Kit Carson, Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Sedgwick, Washington, Yuma Counties)
DISTRICT COURT
LOGAN COUNTY COURT
MORGAN COUNTY COURT
PHILLIPS COUNTY COURT
WASHINGTON COUNTY COURT
YUMA COUNTY COURT
14TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
(Grand, Moffat, Routt Counties)
GRAND COUNTY COURT
MOFFAT COUNTY COURT
ROUTT COUNTY COURT
15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
(Baca, Cheyenne, Kiowa, Prowers Counties)
BACA COUNTY COURT
CHEYENNE COUNTY COURT
KIOWA COUNTY COURT
PROWERS COUNTY COURT
16TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
(Bent, Crowley, Otero Counties)
CROWLEY COUNTY COURT
OTERO COUNTY COURT
17TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
(Adams County)
DISTRICT COURT
ADAMS COUNTY COURT
18TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
(Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert, Lincoln Counties)
DISTRICT COURT
ARAPAHOE COUNTY COURT
DOUGLAS COUNTY COURT
ELBERT COUNTY COURT
LINCOLN COUNTY COURT
19TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
(Weld County)
DISTRICT COURT
WELD COUNTY COURT
2OTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
(Boulder County)
DISTRICT COURT
BOULDER COUNTY COURT
21ST JUDICIAL DISTRICT
(Mesa County)
DISTRICT COURT
MESA COUNTY COURT
22ND JUDICIAL DISTRICT
(Dolores, Montezuma Counties)
DISTRICT COURT
MONTEZUMA COUNTY COURT
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