June 19, 2013

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Hon. Laura Findorff Appointed to County Court Bench in Fourth Judicial District

December 21, 2012 by Leave a Comment

On Thursday, December 20, 2012, Governor Hickenlooper announced the appointment of Hon. Laura Findorff to the El Paso County Court bench in the Fourth Judicial District. Judge Findorff will fill a vacancy created by the appointment of Hon. Marla Prudek to the district court bench in the Fourth Judicial District.

Hon. Laura Findorff currently works as a magistrate judge in the Eighteenth Judicial District. She moved to Colorado in 2000, and since then she has worked as an adjunct professor at Pikes Peak Community College, a law clerk at Gentry & Hastings, a senior editor at LexisNexis, of counsel to Haskins & Cyboron, and a legal research attorney in the Eighteenth Judicial District. Prior to moving to Colorado, she was in private practice in California.

Judge Findorff’s appointment is effective November 8, 2012.

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Governor Hickenlooper Announces Appointments to Several Judicial Nominating Commissions

December 14, 2012 by Leave a Comment

On Thursday, December 13, 2012, Governor Hickenlooper announced appointments to the judicial nominating commissions for the First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Eleventh, Twelfth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, Sixteenth, Eighteenth, Twentieth, and Twenty-Second judicial districts.

Each of Colorado’s 22 judicial districts has a nominating commission that selects nominees for appointment to judicial vacancies. The nominating commissions are comprised of  seven citizens residing in that judicial district. No more than four members can be from the same political party, and there must be at least one voting member from each county in the district. The members serve six-year terms.

For a complete list of the appointed members and information regarding their residence, affiliation, and the duration of their terms, click here or visit the governor’s website. Information about the judicial nominating commissions and an application for consideration for appointment may be found here.

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Finalists Selected for Judgeship on Fourth Judicial District Court Bench

December 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment

On Tuesday, December 11, 2012, the Fourth Judicial District Nominating Commission announced three nominees to fill a vacancy on the Fourth Judicial District Court bench. The vacancy will be created by the retirement of the Honorable Robert Crowder, effective January 31, 2013.

The three nominees are Robin Lynn Chittum, Regina Walter, and Gail Warkentin, all of Colorado Springs. The nominees were selected on Monday, December 10, 2012.

Under the Colorado Constitution, the governor has 15 days from December 10 to select one of the three nominees to fill the vacancy. Comments regarding the nominees may be sent to the governor via email at judicial.appointments@state.co.us. Contact information for the nominees can be found here.

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Finalists Selected for Judgeship in El Paso County Court

December 5, 2012 by Leave a Comment

On Monday, December 3, 2012, the Fourth Judicial District Nominating Commission announced its selection of three finalists to fill a vacancy on the El Paso County Court bench. The vacancy was created when Judge Marla Prudek was appointed to the District Court in the Fourth Judicial District, effective November 9, 2012.

The three nominees are Michael Feeney of Colorado Springs, Laura Findorff of Castle Rock, and Sheilagh McAteer of Colorado Springs. The nominees were selected on Friday, November 30, 2012.

Under the Colorado Constitution, the governor has 15 days from December 3, 2012 to appoint one of the nominees as El Paso County Court Judge. Comments regarding any of the nominees may be sent to the governor via email. Contact information for the nominees may be found here.

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Governor Hickenlooper Appoints Beth Lieberman to Fourth Judicial District Nominating Commission

November 27, 2012 by Leave a Comment

On Monday, November 26, 2012, Governor Hickenlooper announced his appointment of Beth Lieberman of Colorado Springs to the Fourth Judicial District Nominating Commission. She will serve as a Democrat and a non-attorney from El Paso County.

Each judicial district has a nominating commission comprised of three attorneys and four non-attorneys. No more than half of the members plus one may have the same political affiliation, and applicants must reside in the judicial district for which they seek appointment. Those who serve on the nominating commission do so as volunteers.

Ms. Lieberman’s appointment was occasioned by the retirement of Kenneth Valdez of Colorado Springs, and her term will expire December 31, 2017.

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Judge Marla Prudek Appointed to Fourth Judicial District Court; El Paso County Court Judgeship Now Vacant

November 14, 2012 by 1 Comment

The Honorable Marla Prudek was appointed to the Fourth Judicial District Court, effective November 9, 2012. Prior to her appointment, she had served as a County Court Judge in the Fourth Judicial District. Her appointment to the district court bench created a vacancy on the county court bench, and the Fourth Judicial District Nominating Commission will meet on Friday, November 30, 2012 to interview and select nominees for appointment to the county court bench.

To be eligible for appointment, nominees must be qualified electors in El Paso County and must be admitted to the practice of law in Colorado. Application forms are available from the ex officio chair of the nominating commission, Justice Monica Marquez, and from the Office of the District Administrator. Applications are also available on the State Judicial website.

Applications must be filed no later than 4 p.m. on November 23, 2012. Any person wishing to suggest a nominee may submit a letter to any member of the nominating commission with a copy to the ex officio chair no later than 4 p.m. on Monday, November 19, 2012.

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Marla Prudek Appointed to Bench of Fourth Judicial District Court

November 8, 2012 by 2 Comments

On Wednesday, November 8, 2012, Governor Hickenlooper announced the appointment of Marla Prudek of Colorado Springs to the Fourth Judicial District Court bench, effective immediately.

Judge Prudek currently serves on the Fourth Judicial District County Court bench, where she hears civil, misdemeanor criminal, and traffic cases. She has been on the county court bench since 2009. Prior to her service as a judge, she was a partner at Gentry and Prudek, LLP,  in Colorado Springs, where she specialized in criminal defense.

Judge Prudek will fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Hon. Kirk Samelson, whose retirement was effective October 8, 2012.

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Judge Robert Crowder to Resign from El Paso County Court Bench

October 30, 2012 by 2 Comments

The Fourth Judicial District Nominating Commission will meet at the El Paso County Courthouse on Monday, December 10, 2012, to interview and select nominees for the judgeship to be created by the resignation of the Honorable Robert Crowder.

Eligible applicants for the appointment must be qualified electors of the Fourth Judicial District and must have been admitted to practice law in Colorado for five years. Applications must be submitted to the ex officio chair of the nominating commission by 4 p.m. on Monday, November 26, 2012. The appointed district court judge will serve a provisional term of two years before facing a retention election. If retained in the general election, judges serve additional six-year terms.

Further information about the vacancy is available from the Colorado State Judicial Branch.

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Finalists Selected for Judgeship in Fourth Judicial District

October 23, 2012 by Leave a Comment

On Tuesday, October 23, 2012, the Fourth Judicial District Nominating Commission announced the selection of three finalists to fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Kirk Samelson, effective October 8, 2012.

The nominees for the bench are Michael A. Kirtland of Woodland Park, Marla Prudek of Colorado Springs, and Gail Warkentin of Colorado Springs. The nominees were selected by the commission on October 22, 2012.

Under the Colorado Constitution, the governor has 15 days from October 23, 2012 to appoint one of the nominees as District Court Judge for the Fourth Judicial District, which covers El Paso and Teller counties.

Comments about the nominees may be submitted to the governor via email at judicial.appointments@state.co.us. Contact information for the nominees can be found here.

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Judge Kirk Samelson to Retire from Fourth Judicial District Court Bench

September 14, 2012 by 2 Comments

The Fourth Judicial District Nominating Commission will meet Monday, October 22, 2012, at the El Paso County Courthouse to interview and select nominees for appointment by the governor to the office of district judge for the Fourth Judicial District (El Paso and Teller counties).  The vacancy will be created by the resignation of the Hon. Kirk Samelson.  The vacancy will occur on October 8, 2012.

Judge Samelson was appointed as a District Judge in 2000 and as the chief judge of the Fourth Judicial District in 2007. Judge Samelson hears civil and criminal cases; he also performs administrative duties as chief judge.

Eligible applicants for the appointment must be qualified electors of the Fourth Judicial District and must have been admitted to practice law in Colorado for five years. Applications must be submitted by 4 p.m. on Monday, October 1, 2012. The appointed district court judge will serve a provisional term of two years before facing a retention election. If retained in the general election, judges serve additional six-year terms.

Further information about the vacancy is available here from the Colorado State Judicial Branch.

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Governor Hickenlooper Announces Several Judicial Nominating Commission Appointments

April 13, 2012 by Leave a Comment

On Thursday, April 12, 2012, Governor John Hickenlooper announced several appointments to various Judicial Nominating Commissions. The appointments are to the Fourth, Ninth, Twelfth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth Judicial District Judicial Nominating Commissions and the Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission.

Colorado’s twenty-two judicial districts each have judicial district nominating commissions that select nominees for district and county judicial vacancies. Each district nominating commission is chaired by a justice of the Supreme Court, who is a non-voting member of the commission.

Commission members serve six-year terms. Non-lawyers, who are the majority of every nominating commission, are appointed by the governor. Lawyer members are appointed by joint action of the governor, attorney general, and chief justice.

The member appointed to the Fourth Judicial District Judicial Nominating Commission for a term expiring December 31, 2017 is:

  • Kenneth Michael Valdez of Colorado Springs, to serve as a non-attorney and as a Republican from El Paso County.

The members appointed to the Ninth Judicial District Judicial Nominating Commission for terms expiring December 31, 2017 are:

  • Sharon Merlene Day of Meeker, to serve as a non-attorney and as a Republican from Rio Blanco County.
  • Anna Smith of Meeker, to serve as a non-attorney and as a Republican from Rio Blanco County.
  • Julie Goldstein of Basalt, to serve as a non-attorney and as a Democrat from Pitkin County.

The member appointed to the Twelfth Judicial District Judicial Nominating Commission for a term expiring December 31, 2017 is:

  • Kimberly A. Lookis of San Luis, to serve as a non-attorney and as a Democrat from Costilla County.

The member appointed to the Fourteenth Judicial District Judicial Nominating Commission for a term expiring December 31, 2017 is:

  • Kelly Lee Weimer of Granby, to serve as a non-attorney and as a Republican from Grand County.

The members appointed to the Fifteenth Judicial District Judicial Nominating Commission for terms expiring December 31, 2017 are:

  • Staci Faye Bishop of Springfield, to serve as a non-attorney and as a Republican from Baca County.
  • Linda Rae Lusk of Springfield, to serve as a non-attorney and as a Democrat from Baca County.
  • Christian Paul Tallman of Brandon, to serve as a non-attorney and as a Republican from Cheyenne County.

The member appointed to the Nineteenth Judicial District Judicial Nominating Commission for a term expiring November 30, 2013 is:

  • Donna Sapienza of Greeley, to serve as a non-attorney and as a Democrat from Weld County.

The member appointed to the Twentieth Judicial District Judicial Nominating Commission for a term expiring December 31, 2017 is:

  • Rex Thomas Moody of Longmont, to serve as a non-attorney and as an Unaffiliated from Boulder County.

The Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission recommends candidates to serve as judges for the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals. The chief justice of the Supreme Court chairs the commission and is a non-voting member. This commission includes one citizen admitted to practice law in Colorado and one citizen not admitted to practice law residing in each of the state’s seven congressional districts, and one additional citizen not admitted to practice law in Colorado. The members appointed for terms expiring December 31, 2017:

  • Ann Elizabeth Hendrickson of Broomfield, to serve as a non-attorney and as a Republican from Broomfield County.
  • Olivia Mendoza of Lakewood, to serve as a non-attorney and as a Democrat from Jefferson County.

Click here to read the full announcement from the Governor’s Office.

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Gilbert Martinez Named Chief Judge in the Fourth Judicial District; David Prince to Serve as Deputy Chief

February 2, 2012 by Leave a Comment

On Thursday, February 2, 2012, Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael L. Bender announced his appointment of the Honorable Gilbert Martinez to serve as the new chief judge in the Fourth Judicial District, which serves El Paso and Teller counties. Chief Justice Bender also appointed District Court Judge David Prince to serve as the district’s deputy chief judge. Both appointments are effective February 9, 2012.

Judge Martinez will replace the Honorable Kirk S. Samelson, who served as chief judge for more than five years. Judge Samelson will continue to preside over a district court docket.

Judge Martinez was born in Trinidad and raised in the Denver area. A graduate of the University of Colorado, he served as a public defender from 1978 to 1989, directing the Colorado Springs Public Defender’s Office for four of those years. In 1989, Judge Martinez was appointed to the district court bench.

Judge Prince was appointed to the district court in April 2006.  Before taking the bench, Judge Prince was a commercial litigator with Holland & Hart.  His practice included  fiduciary, finance, construction, business, real estate, and intellectual property litigation. Judge Prince graduated from the University of Utah Law School, where he served on the law review and received Order of the Coif honors.

Colorado is divided into twenty-two judicial districts, each with a chief judge who serves as the administrative head. Chief judges’ responsibilities include appointing the district administrator, chief probation officer, and clerks of the court, assisting in the personnel, financial and case-management duties of the district, seeing that the business of the courts is conducted efficiently and effectively, and making judicial assignments within the district.

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