Fourth Judicial District — El Paso and Teller Counties
Fourth Judicial District — El Paso and Teller CountiesThis site is copyrighted, supported, and maintained by the Equal Justice Foundation.
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Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903
Information Number: (719) 448-7700
Facsimile: (719) 329-7046 (Colorado Springs)
Facsimile (719) 689-2574 (Cripple Creek)
In 2012 the Equal Justice Foundation began a rating system of justices standing for retention based on the votes of attorneys who submit responses to surveys sent to them by the Judicial Performance Review Commission. The idea was first put forward by the Rocky Mountain News in an October 13, 2002, editorial. Whether a "Retain" or "Do Not Retain" is recommended is based on the criteria:
• Retain: More than 85% of attorneys voted to retain;
• Marginal: only 80-85% of attorneys voted to retain;
• Do Not Retain: Less than 80% of attorneys voted to retain.
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Not recommended for retention. Stepped down end of 2003 with full retirement benefits. |
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Stood for retention in 2000. 88% Retain. Concerns about his ongoing lack of diligence and docket control. |
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A lesson in why litigants should make their own recordings of court proceedings. |
Retired July 20, 2007, to avoid an investigation into taking bribes. See Nov. 13, 2008, article in Know Your Courts. |
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Appointed district court judge in 2001. Acting district judge for probate from 1999 on. Appointed county court judge in 1987 and was Presiding Judge of County Court from 1987 to 1993. |
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Stood for retention in 2000. Only 71% of attorneys voted to retain. |
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See Galbraith appeal 08CA2353. February, 2006, Bromley began using powerful drugs. Side effects included: confusion, disorientation, agitation, decreased concentration, memory loss, behavioral changes, forgetfulness, impaired cognition, transient global amnesia, depression, mood swings, organic delusional syndrome, paranoia, and aggravation of pre- existing senility. By November, 2006, Bromley was so impaired that she no longer came to work regularly. She arranged with several other employees and other judges, to cover for her so she could continue receiving full-time salary and benefits while not earning them, a criminal felony under Colorado's Embezzlement of Public Funds statute. One arrangement made to cover up her impaired abilities was to allow her to conduct court proceedings without a court reporter or any Electronic Recording Operator present, contrary to accepted practices regarding use of electronic recordings in court proceedings. |
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Placed mother in jail for 3 days in July 2007 for talking to her daughter on the telephone. Also ordered mother to perform 100 hours of community service with Headstart. |
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Just 83% of attorneys voted to Retain and 17% voted Do Not Retain |
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Biased and unfair in family issues particularly regarding paternity fraud. |
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Stood for retention in 2002. Just half of attorneys polled voted to retain. |
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Major general in Colorado National Guard and served as advisor in the Balkans. Former deputy DA and municipal judge in Manitou Springs. |
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(click here for a ruling as incoherent as you are likely to see, dated October 15, 2007) |
Ignoring res judicata and stare decisis, as well as Colorado statutes, in 2007 Crowder reopened this divorce case after 14 years and forced husband to provide life insurance with ex-wife, who has remarried, as beneficiary. Crowder also readjudicated ex-husband's military retirement pay to ex-wife's advantage 14 years after their divorce. Husband feared for his life with ex-wife sole beneficiary of a $400,000 life insurance policy (click here for transcript of 2007 hearing). In a rare show of common sense on November 13, 2008, the CO Court of Appeals, case 07CA 2295, reversed this decision. |
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Pioneered veteran courts in Colorado.and handled felony cases for veteran trauma court |
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A psychologist reported her extremely biased and prejudiced in two cases in April 2010, one family, one criminal. Screamed at defendant and his mother in another case in May 2010. An attorney reported that she is biased and ignorant of the law. |
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Appointed by Gov. Ritter August 9, 2007. Former public defender and worked in private practice from 2004 until 2007. |
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Stood for retention in 2010. Very weak 75% of attorneys voted to retain. |
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Stood for retention in 2004. After 29 years on the bench only 74% of attorneys recommended he be retained. |
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On August 31, 2010, Hall had three bears executed, a mother and her two cubs, because the cubs knocked out a screen and came into his house. In bear country home owners are expected to better protect their homes against intrusion and his neglect cost three bears their lives. |
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Attorneys have criticized him as being too harsh and abrupt. |
Appointed district judge by Gov. Ritter in May 2008. County judge from 1995 until 2008. Former 4 th Judicial District Attorney from 1989 through 1989. |
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Stood for retention in 2010. 90% Retain. But see performance reviews as a county judge where only 60-69% of attorneys voted for retention over 12 years. |
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Sentenced Marine Corps combat veteran to 1 year in jail because he objected to reading radical feminist hate literature during DV "treatment." |
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Stepped down October 31, 2010, rather than face retention vote. |
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Stood for retention in 2004. Only 79% of attorneys voted to retain. |
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Stood for retention in 2002. 89% of attorneys voted for retention but the Colorado Springs Police Protective Association recommended he not be retained. |
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Reports are he has shouted and screamed from the bench, should be taking anger management classes instead of sentencing people to them. In 2002 Judicial Performance Commission recommended two year probation due to numerous credible complaints that he is not of proper judicial temperament. Misapplies the law on a regular basis. Knowingly violates constitutional rights and then advises litigants of their option to appeal. |
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Failed to have prosecution witness sequestered. Then allowed her to be admitted as expert witness despite fact she only has a BA in social science, just 6 years experience as case worker with DHS, no publications, no honors, no supervisory, management, or teaching experience, and no résumé was presented. As an "expert witness" she was then allowed to present hearsay and gossip as sworn testimony. Nor had she interviewed father in this case. |
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96% of attorneys voted to Retain, only 4% voted Do Not Retain |
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Reported to be biased and unfair in family issues. For one woman's view of how her divorce was handled by him click here. Her identity is hidden to reduce the chances of retaliation. |
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Despite clear provisions of C.R.S. § 18-12-201 et seq., Art. II, § 13 of Colorado Constitution, and Amendment II of the federal Constitution Judge Miller arbitrarily dismissed suit brought against Regents of Univ. of Colorado that banned weapons and explosives on campuses despite multiple instances of assaults against which victims could not defend themselves. Court of Appeals overturned his decision and, in essence, told the judge, and Regents, to read and obey the law and Constitution. |
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Appointed by Gov. Owens in February 2006. Experience in civil litigation in private practice. No prior judicial experience. |
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Promoted to district court judge in November 2012. Was a county court judge from July 2009. Replaced Judge Kirk Samelson. Former deputy DA 1987-1989 for El Paso County. Came to the bench from private practice. |
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95% of attorneys voted to Retain, only 5% voted Do Not Retain |
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See Sgt. Jose Barco story on PBS documentary Wounded Platoon. |
In violation of the Eighth Amendment Schwartz sentenced veteran suffering from PTSD with no priors to 52 years in prison. The veteran had a 19-year-old wife and a new baby. |
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Promoted to district judge January 2009. Replaced Steven Pelican. |
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94% of attorneys voted to Retain, and 6% voted Do Not Retain |
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89% of attorneys voted to Retain and 11% voted Do Not Retain |
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Appointed in 1987. Not recommended for retention. "Retired" in 2003 after calling litigant in case he was hearing an overeducated nigger. Despite forced retirement as of 2012 he is still working as a "traveling" senior judge for Colorado, filling in for vacationing judges across the state. |
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Appointed July 14, 2006. Formerly an attorney with State Farm Insurance. |
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Attorneys overwhelmingly (94%) report that Judge Acker is either "very biased" or "somewhat biased" in favor of the prosecution. |
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Stood for retention in 2006. Only 61% of attorneys recommended retention while 29% voted Do Not Retain. |
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Stood for retention in 2010. Again only 57% of attorneys voted to retain while a full 43% voted Do Not Retain. Pathetic! |
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On December 4, 2008, Acker was observed to grant a temporary protection order (TPO) to a woman, ~50, because her ex-boyfriend was leaving flowers on her car. He also had keys to her apartment but she had not bothered to change the locks for two months despite claiming to be in fear of him. In another case Acker granted a TPO to a female soldier whose veteran husband drank too much (PTSD?) and one day punched a wall after an argument. But, by her own admission, he did not touch her or make any threats toward her. Conversely, a request by a man for a TPO after his wife assaulted him, dislocated her daughter's shoulder, and sexually abused her son was denied. |
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Stood for retention in 1998. Only 75% of attorneys favored retention. |
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Apparently she is still serving as a substitute judge as of 2011 where her performance has been rated as "despicable" by at least one attorney. |
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Stood for retention in 1998. Only 76% of attorneys favored retention. |
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Hansen was only CO judge in 2012 rated as Do Not Retain by a Judicial Performance Review Commission |
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Only 72% of attorneys voted to Retain while 29% voted Do Not Retain. |
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Stood for retention in 1998. Only 69% of attorneys felt he should be retained. |
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Stood for retention in 2002. A pathetic 60% of attorneys recommended retention. |
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Stood for retention in 2006. Again only 65% of attorneys voted for retention. |
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Sentenced Marine Corps combat veteran to 1 year in jail because he objected to reading radical feminist hate literature during DV "treatment." |
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Stood for retention in 2002. Only 77% of attorneys voted to retain. |
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Stood for retention in 2006. Again only 78% of attorneys voted to retain. |
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Appointed by Gov. Ritter September 2010. Former prosecutor and hardline DV advocate in that position. |
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Stood for retention in 2004. Only 74% of attorneys apparently voted for retention. |
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Appointed county judge by Gov. Bill Ritter in July 2009. Replaced Judge James Patterson. Former deputy DA 1987-1989 for El Paso County. Came to the bench from private practice. |
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His performance has obviously improved over his years on the bench. |
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Stood for retention in 1998. Only 79% of attorneys, 72% of law enforcement, just 68% of court personnel recommended retention |
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Stood for retention in 2002. A pathetic 73% of attorneys recommended he be retained. |
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Appointed by Gov. Bill Ritter in May 2007 to replace Manzanares. Former public defender and member of CO DV offender management board. |
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Stood for retention in 2010. Very weak 73% of attorneys voted to retain. |
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Just 85% of attorneys voted to Retain. 15% voted Do Not Retain. In 2008 93% of the attorneys voted to retain so his performance is not improving. |
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Former senior deputy district attorney. Appointed in February 2011. |
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Fair and patient with citizens. Seeks solutions to problems brought before her. Extensive experience with DV cases and carefully considers facts and testimony. |
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Warns defendants in DV cases that they will lose their Constitutional rights if they accept a plea bargain. |
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Promoted to Douglas County (18 th Judicial District) judge in February 2007. |
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No longer on bench as of June 2000. Heard to remark that he could visit Vail and golf at the expense of a ward of the court. Under his direction one trust fund was swindled out of more than $250,000. See problems with probate courts. |
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Promoted to district judge January 2009. Replaces Steven Pelican. |
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In 2008 handled domestic violence Fast Track cases in El Paso County. Hands out protection orders like tissue paper at the rate of one a minute, but only to females. Cares little about impact on citizens and, particularly, military. Doesn't seek solutions, simply punishment. A number of cases have been reported where the audio recordings of hearings in his court are "inaudible." |
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Even with felony charges of bigamy and forgery against his wife, Trujillo refused to grant a soldier a protection order against her. |
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| EJF Home | Join the EJF | Comments? | Get EJF newsletter | Newsletters |
| DV Home | Abstract | Contents | Authors and Site Map | Tables | Index | Bibliography |
| Chapter 7 — Colorado Judges — Citizen's Review |
| Next — Fifth Judicial District |
| Back — Third Judicial District |
This site is supported and maintained by the Equal Justice Foundation.