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| Chapter 7 — Colorado Judges — Citizen's Review |
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Telephone: 303-659-1161 — Main number
Facsimile: 303-654-3216 (District judges)
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: in 2012 the standard was that only 80-85% of attorneys voted to retain. In 2014 review this was broadened to 75-85% and in 2018 the standard was expanded again to 71-85% of attorneys voted to retain;
• Do Not Retain: In 2012 the standard was less than 80% of attorneys voted to retain. In 2014 review this was changed to <75% of attorneys voted to retain and in 2018 this was lowered even further to less than or equal <=70% suggesting judicial standards continue to decline.
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Did not stand for retention in 2022 and resigned on January 23, 2021. |
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Promoted from magistrate by Gov. Hickenlooper in January 2014. |
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No longer on bench as of July 2009. Back to private practice. |
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In the case of James Disher Judge Bockman held that sex is a necessary element of establishing that a relationship is intimate under domestic violence statute . Prosecution appealed and CO Supreme Court granted certiorari on April 21, 2008. Using public funds CCADV and COVA filed amicus curiae briefs to ensure any man who knows a woman even casually can be convicted of domestic violence. |
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On February 16, 2010, the Colorado Supreme Court reversed the district court and held that evidence of a sexual relationship is not necessary to establish the existence of an intimate relationship. |
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Appointed district court judge by Gov. Hickenlooper July 1, 2016. Previously in private practice. |
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Did not stand for retention in 2010, term expired January 2011. |
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Does not treat those appearing before her with respect, her courtroom is not conducted in a neutral manner, and her rulings of law were not consistent. |
Voted off the bench November 3, 2020, and stepped down on January 12, 2021, when her term ended. Good riddance! |
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Appointed district court judge by Gov. Hickenlooper in January 2017. Replaced Judge Straus. Formerly in private practice. |
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EJF recommendation: Do Not Retain One of only two judges the commission found who did not meet standards, finding that she treated attorneys and parties appearing before her in a demeaning and disrespectful manner. |
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Appointed district court judge by Gov. Hickenlooper in August 2017. Replaced Judge Ensor. Formerly, a prosecutor with the 20 th Judicial District Attorney's Office and head of the sex assault unit. |
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85% of attorneys voted to Retain and just 8% voted Do Not Retain. |
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Attorney Peter C. Lomtevas filed formal complaint against Delgado on October 25, 2008, noting, among other problems, that the judge testified from the bench and allowed unsworn testimony. Further, she advocated for one of the parties; and offered psychological analysis from the bench. |
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Consistently rated very weak by attorneys. Judge Ensor's actions, including displaying naked skin, physically touching and rubbing of his chest on a woman's back, and inappropriate commentary, was one of several judges whose misconduct was detailed in a two-page memo that is at the center of a judicial scandal. |
Retired in September 2018 but remained a senior judge until fired by Colorado Supreme Court Justice Boatright on June 1, 2021. |
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Stood for retention in 2004. Only 75% of attorneys recommended he be retained. |
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Stood for retention in 2010. Only 75% of attorneys recommended he be retained. |
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Colorado Supreme Court reversed a man's convictions because Judge Ensor violated his Sixth Amendment right to hire a different defense lawyer. |
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Appointed district judge by Gov. Hickenlooper in February 2018. Formerly chief trial deputy in Boulder County District Attorney's Office. |
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88% of attorneys voted to Retain and just 8% voted Do Not Retain. |
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Appointed district court judge by Gov. Polis effective January 23, 2024. Previously he was a Senior Lead Deputy District Attorney. |
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Promoted to district judge in October 2016 by Gov. Hickenlooper. Previously a magistrate. |
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Just 82% of attorneys voted to Retain this time, while 16% voted Do Not Retain. A poor showing compared to previous. |
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Gave bad advice to Jury. Frequently overturned on appeal because of that. Disciplined for waging a campaign of retaliation against his judicial assistant. |
Resigned in disgrace in July of 2023 after being censured by the Colorado Supreme Court for engaging in the unauthorized practice of law. |
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Appointed by Governor Bill Ritter, effective January 1, 2011. |
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Appointed district court judge by Gov. Polis on July 25, 2020. Previously she was a public defender. |
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96% of attorneys voted to Retain with 4% voting Do Not Retain. |
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Promoted to district judge by Gov. Hickenlooper in May 2017 to replace Judge Popovich. Former magistrate and before that a senior deputy district attorney in the 2 nd Judicial District. |
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Only 77% of attorneys voted to Retain while 14% voted Do Not Retain. |
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Appointed district court judge on January 13, 2021, by Gov. Polis to replace Judge Crespin. Previously Chief Trial Deputy, 17 th Judicial District Attorney's Office |
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90% of attorneys voted to Retain and 10% voted Do Not Retain. |
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Appointed district court judge by Gov. Polis on May 31, 2019. Previously she was deputy district attorney. |
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Just 79% of attorneys voted to Retain while remaining 21% voted Do Not Retain. |
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Appointed district court judge in 2008 and became chief judge in 2014. |
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Appointed district court judge by Gov. Polis on May 31, 2019. Previously he was in private practice. |
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82% of attorneys voted to Retain but remaining 18% voted Do Not Retain. |
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Appointed to bench in December 2014 by Gov. Hickenlooper after losing race for state attorney general. Served as 17 th Judicial District Attorney from 2005 through 2013. |
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76% of attorneys voted to Retain while 21% voted Do Not Retain |
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Appointed district judge by Gov. Hickenlooper in February 2017. Replaced Judge Welling. Formerly Senior Assistant Attorney for City of Arvada. |
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Only a pathetic 63% of attorneys voted to Retain while 19% voted Do Not Retain. |
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Appointed district court judge by Gov. Polis effective January 6, 2024. Previously he was in private practice. |
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Appointed district court judge by Gov. Polis on January 1, 2020. Previously he was in private practice. |
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87% of attorneys voted to Retain and only 10% voted Do Not Retain. |
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Appointed district court judge by Gov. Polis May 31, 2019. Previously in private practice. |
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96% of attorneys voted to Retain with just 4% voting Do Not Retain. |
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Appointed district court judge by Gov. Polis effective January 10, 2023. She was previously a magistrate. |
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Appointed district court judge by Gov. Polis effective July 1, 2023. Previously she was a Senior Lead Deputy District Attorney. |
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One of only two judges not recommended for retention in 2016 by the judicial review commission and she was only judge voted off the bench that year. |
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Only a pitiful 41% of attorneys voted to Retain while a full 50% voted Do Not Retain. Commission found problems with her demeanor, fairness, and communications. |
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Promoted to Court of Appeals by Gov. Hickenlooper in January 2018. |
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90% of attorneys voted to Retain but only 57% of non-attorneys voted the same, an astonishingly low rating by the public. |
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Appointed district court judge on January 13, 2021, by Gov. Polis. She replaced Judge Anderson. Previously in private practice. |
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91% of attorneys voted to Retain and 8% voted Do Not Retain. |
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This time just 75% of attorneys voted to Retain and 19% voted Do Not Retain. Quite a drop in his performance from previous two reviews. |
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He had a terrible record of being reversed on appeal 52.2% of the time. |
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Promoted to Court of Appeals by Gov. Hickenlooper in January 2017. |
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Appointed district judge by Gov. Ritter in late 2010 and he stepped up to the bench in 2011. |
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Appointed in 2006 by Gov. Owens. |
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Stood for retention in 2010. Only 78% of attorneys voted Retain, 22% Do Not Retain. |
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EJF recommendation: 18% Do Not Retain, 65% Retain. Getting worse! |
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Retired in July 2009 but as of September 2020 remains a senior judge. |
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Stood for retention in 2002. 80% Retain. Given very poor rating in Oct. 13, 2002 Rocky Mountain News article. |
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Scored very low communication and demeanor. This woman was obviously not able to make the transition to an impartial jurist. |
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Appointed county court judge by Gov. Hickenlooper in June 2013. Previously GAL, CFI, and deputy DA in Colorado Springs. |
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Stood for retention belatedly in 2018. |
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Appointed county court judge by Gov. Polis on April 2, 2021. Replaced Judge Bockman. Previously in private practice. |
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94% of attorneys voted to Retain with 6% voting Do Not Retain. |
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Appointed county court judge by Gov. Polis on June 23, 2021. Previously in private practice. |
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80% of attorneys voted to Retain while just 7% voted Do Not Retain. |
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Promoted to county court judge in June 2004. Formerly a magistrate. |
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Appointed county court judge by Gov. Hickenlooper in June 2016. Formerly senior lead deputy district attorney. |
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Only 69% of attorneys voted to Retain but just 8% voted Do Not Retain. |
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This man did a decade of damage to Colorado citizens and it was past time for him to go! |
Did not stand for retention in 2022. Term ended January 10, 2023. |
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Only a pathetic 71% of attorneys voted to retain, 29% voted Do Not Retain |
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EJF recommendation: 25% Do Not Retain, 58% Retain. Pathetic, and getting worse! |
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Stood for retention in 2018. 66% Retain. |
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Appointed county court judge by Gov. Polis on April 15, 2022. Previously in private practice. Also served on Aurora School Board. |
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77% of attorneys voted to Retain but 23% voted Do Not Retain. |
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Appointed county court judge by Gov. Polis on December 8, 2020. Previously in private practice but also had served as deputy district attorney in 20 th Judicial District. |
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86% of attorneys voted to Retain but there were zero votes for Do Not Retain |
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Promoted to county court judge by Gov. Polis on August 2, 2022, to be effective January 9, 2023. Previously a magistrate. |
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90% of attorneys voted to Retain with just 5% voting Do Not Retain. |
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Appointed county court judge by Gov. Polis on August 5, 2022. Previously in private practice. |
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92% of attorneys voted to Retain, with 8% voting Do Not Retain. |
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No longer on bench as of February 2007. Given very poor rating in Oct. 13, 2002 Rocky Mountain News article. |
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Appointed Adams County Judge in 1986. |
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Did not stand for retention in 2016 and retired January 1, 2017. But remains a senior judge as of September 2020. |
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Attorneys clearly thought she got worse rather than better over time. If we hadn't lowered our standards in 2018 this judge would have been rated Do Not Retain for the third time |
She finally retired on July 2, 2020, to citizens great relief. |
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In 2010 only 54% of attorneys voted to retain, 48% of attorneys voted Do Not Retain. |
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Somehow she managed to do even worse than in 2010 with only 44% of attorneys voting to Retain while 40% voted Do Not Retain. |
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Promoted to county court judge by Gov. Jared Polis on July 17, 2020, to fill vacancy created by the welcome departure of Roybal. Previously she was a magistrate. |
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Promoted to district court judge in the 2 nd Judicial District by Gov. Polis in July 2024. |
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Promoted to juvenile court judge in 2 nd Judicial District by Gov. Hickenlooper in November 2013. |
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Promoted to county court judge in June 2016 where she was a disaster. |
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Promoted to district judge in October 2016 by Gov. Hickenlooper. |
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Promoted to county court judge by Gov. Polis on August 2, 2022, effective January 9, 2023. |
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Promoted to district judge by Gov. Hickenlooper in May 2017. |
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Promoted to county court judge by Mayor Hancock January 16, 2020. |
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Became county judge in 2 nd Judicial District in September 2004. |
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Promoted to county court judge in the 2nd Judicial District (Denver) in August 2017. |
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Promoted to district court judge in Adams County on January 10, 2023. |
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Promoted to county court judge by Gov. Polis on July 17, 2020. |
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Promoted to Jefferson County Court Judge by Gov. Polis on July 1,2021. |
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| EJF Home | Join the EJF | Comments? | Get EJF newsletter | Newsletters |
| DV Home | Abstract | Contents | Tables | Index | Bibliography |
| Chapter 7 — Colorado Judges — Citizen's Review |
| Next — Eighteenth Judicial District |
| Back — Sixteenth Judicial District |
This site is supported and maintained by the Equal Justice Foundation.