June 19, 2013

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William Herringer Appointed to Sixth Judicial District Court Bench

March 20, 2013 by Leave a Comment

On Thursday, March 14, 2013, Governor John Hickenlooper appointed William Herringer to the bench of the Sixth Judicial District Court, effective March 11, 2013. He will replace Hon. David L. Dickinson, whose retirement was effective February 28, 2013.

Prior to his appointment, Herringer was an attorney in private practice at Greenberg & Herringer, LLC, in Durango. He primarily focused on criminal defense, but also handled personal injury cases and protection order hearings. He earned his law degree from University of Colorado Law School, and his undergraduate degree from Colorado College.

Judge Herringer’s appointment will be effective for two years, at which time he will face a retention election. If retained, he will remain on the bench for an additional six years.

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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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Suzanne Carlson Appointed as Sixth Judicial District Court Judge

June 29, 2012 by Leave a Comment

On Friday, June 29, 2012, Governor John Hickenlooper announced his appointment of Suzanne Carlson to serve as a district court judge in the Sixth Judicial District, which covers La Plata, Archuleta, and San Juan counties. Carlson will fill the judgeship created pursuant to HB12-1073. Her judicial appointment is effective July 1.

Carlson has served as a judge for the Southern Ute Indian Tribe since 2005. She currently practices at the law firm of Lisa Ward LLC with a focus on divorce and child custody matters. Previously, she practiced with the Deputy State Public Defender and has served as a Legal Research Attorney for the Sixth Judicial District.

Carlson earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado and her law degree from the University of Colorado Law School.

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Finalists Selected to Fill Judgeship on Sixth Judicial District Court

June 13, 2012 by 1 Comment

The Sixth Judicial District Nominating Commission has nominated three candidates for a district court judgeship created by the passage of HB 12-1073, effective July 1, 2012.

The nominees for the bench are Suzanne Carlson, James Casey, and Martha Minot, all of Durango. All candidates were selected by the commission on June 12.

Under the Colorado Constitution, Governor Hickenlooper has until June 28 to appoint one of the nominees as District Court Judge for the Sixth Judicial District, which serves Archuleta, La Plata, and San Juan counties.

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Governor Hickenlooper Appoints More to Judicial Nominating Commissions

May 29, 2012 by Leave a Comment

On Tuesday, May 29, 2012, Governor John Hickenlooper announced several Board and Commission appointments. The appointments were to the Second, Fifth, Sixth, Twelfth, and Twenty-First Judicial District Judicial Nominating Commissions.

Colorado’s twenty-two judicial districts 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 members appointed to the Second Judicial District Judicial Nominating Commission for terms expiring December 31, 2017, are:

  • Larry Allen Nelsen of Denver, to serve as a non-attorney and as a Republican from Denver County.
  • Andrew Dean Schneider of Denver, to serve as a non-attorney and as an Unaffiliated from Denver County.

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

  • Gregory V. Johnson of Edwards, to serve as a non-attorney and as a Republican from Eagle County.
  • Heather N. Scanlon of Leadville, to serve as a non-attorney and as a Democrat from Lake County.

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

  • Stephen C. Fearn of Silverton, to serve as a non-attorney and as a Democrat from San Juan County.

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

  • Marvin K. “Zeke” Ward of Creede, to serve as a non-attorney and as a Republican from Mineral County.

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

  • Ivan Daniel Geer of Grand Junction, to serve as a non-attorney and as a Republican from Mesa County.
  • Beverly Jean Sewell of Grand Junction, to serve as a non-attorney and as a Republican from Mesa County.
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New District Court Judgeship Created in the Sixth Judicial District

May 10, 2012 by 2 Comments

The Sixth Judicial District Nominating Commission will meet on Tuesday, June 12, 2012, to interview and select nominees for appointment by Governor Hickenlooper to the office of District Judge for the Sixth Judicial District, which serves Archuleta, La Plata, and San Juan counties. The new district court judgeship was created pursuant to HB 12-1073 and is effective July 1.

Eligible applicants for appointment to fill the vacancy must be qualified electors of the Sixth Judicial District and must have been admitted to the practice of law in Colorado for five years. Applications must be received by Thursday, May 24. The appointed district court judge will serve an initial provisional term of two years before facing a retention election. Retained judges serve six-year terms.

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

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HB 12-1073: Transferring a Judgeship from the First Judicial District to the Sixth Judicial District

February 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment

On January 11, 2012, Rep. J. Paul Brown and Sen. Ellen Roberts introduced HB 12-1073 – Concerning the Transfer of a Judgeship from the First Judicial District to the Sixth Judicial District. This summary is published here courtesy of the Colorado Bar Association’s e-Legislative Report.

The bill decreases the number of judges in the first judicial district from 14 to 13 and increases the number of judges in the sixth judicial district from 3 to 4. The unamended bill passed 3rd Reading in the House on February 9. The LPC voted to support the bill as part of the package of Judicial Department Budget priorities.

Since this summary, the bill was introduced in the Senate and assigned to the Judiciary Committee.

Summaries of other featured bills can be found here.

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Application Period Open for Forty-Five Vacancies on Judicial Nominating Commissions

September 15, 2011 by Leave a Comment

On behalf of Governor John Hickenlooper, Attorney General John Suthers, and Chief Justice Michael L. Bender, the Colorado Judicial Branch announced on Thursday, September 15, 2011, the opening of the application period for forty-five vacancies on judicial nominating commissions across the state.

Some positions are open now, but the majority of vacancies will occur when current commissioners’ six-year terms end December 31, 2011. All commissioners serve as volunteers. Applications are due on or before October 14.

Thirty-two vacancies must be filled by non-attorneys selected by the Governor. Thirteen vacancies must be filled by attorneys selected by joint action of the Governor, Attorney General, and Chief Justice. Vacancies will occur in twenty judicial district nominating commissions.

Each judicial district in Colorado has a nominating commission comprised of three attorneys and four non-attorneys who are tasked with selecting nominees for appointment to county and district judgeships. The Supreme Court Nominating Commission is made up of seven attorneys, seven non-attorneys, and one non-attorney at-large member. Each of Colorado’s seven Congressional Districts is represented by one attorney and one non-attorney on the Supreme Court Nominating Commission, which selects nominees for positions on the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals.

Application forms for vacancies on the various commissions can be found here. Completed application forms should be mailed to Romaine Pacheco, Governor’s Office of Boards and Commissions, 136 State Capitol Bldg., Denver, Colorado 80203.  They also can be faxed to (303) 866-6368 or sent by e-mail to boards@state.co.us.

Article VI, Section 24 of the Colorado Constitution requires that for any nominating commission, “no more than one-half of the commission members plus one, exclusive of the Supreme Court justice serving as ex officio chair, shall be members of the same political party.” The Constitution also requires that at least one commissioner reside in each of the counties of the district. Applicants must reside in the judicial district – or, for the Supreme Court Nominating Commission, the congressional district – to which they are applying for appointment.

Here is a list of upcoming nominating commission attorney vacancies along with any applicable residency and political-affiliation requirements:

  • First Judicial District: One vacancy.
  • Second Judicial District: One vacancy. Appointee cannot be a registered Democrat.
  • Fourth Judicial District: One vacancy. This commission also will have one non-attorney vacancy. Only one position may be filled by a registered Democrat.
  • Fifth Judicial District: One vacancy. This commission also will have two non-attorney vacancies. One of the positions must be filled by a resident of Eagle County, one other by a resident of Lake County.
  • Sixth Judicial District: One vacancy. This commission also will have one non-attorney vacancy. One of the positions must be filled by a resident of San Juan County.
  • Seventh Judicial District: One vacancy. Appointee must reside in Ouray County.
  • Ninth Judicial District: One vacancy. This commission also will have one non-attorney vacancy. One appointee must be a resident of Rio Blanco County and one a resident of Pitkin County.
  • Thirteenth Judicial District: One vacancy. This commission also will have three non-attorney vacancies. One appointee must be a resident of Yuma County, one a resident of Phillips County, one a resident of Sedgwick County, and one a resident of Logan County.
  • Fourteenth Judicial District: Two vacancies.
  • Sixteenth Judicial District: One vacancy. Appointee cannot be a registered Democrat.
  • Nineteenth Judicial District: One vacancy.
  • Supreme Court: One vacancy. Appointee must be a resident of the Fifth Congressional District.

Here is a list of non-attorney vacancies, along with any applicable residency and political-affiliation requirements:

  • Second Judicial District: Two vacancies. Neither may be filled by a registered Democrat.
  • Third Judicial District: Two vacancies.
  • Fourth Judicial District: One vacancy. This commission also will have one attorney vacancy. Only one position may be filled by a registered Democrat.
  • Fifth Judicial District: Two vacancies. This commission also will have one attorney vacancy. One of the positions must be filled by a resident of Eagle County, one other by a resident of Lake County.
  • Sixth Judicial District: One vacancy. This commission also will have one attorney vacancy. One of the positions must be filled by a resident of San Juan County.
  • Eighth Judicial District: One vacancy. Appointee must not be a registered Democrat.
  • Ninth Judicial District: Three vacancies. This commission also will have one attorney vacancy. At least one appointee must be a resident of Rio Blanco County and one a resident of Pitkin County.
  • Tenth Judicial District: Two vacancies. Neither may be filled by a registered Democrat.
  • Eleventh Judicial District: One vacancy.
  • Twelfth Judicial District: Two vacancies. One appointee must be a resident of Mineral County and one a resident of Costilla County.
  • Thirteenth Judicial District: Three vacancies. This commission also will have one attorney vacancy. One appointee must be a resident of Yuma County, one a resident of Phillips County, one a resident of Sedgwick County, and one a resident of Logan County.
  • Fourteenth Judicial District: Two vacancies.
  • Fifteenth Judicial District: Two vacancies.
  • Nineteenth Judicial District: One vacancy.
  • Twentieth Judicial District: One vacancy. Appointee cannot be a registered Democrat.
  • Twenty-First Judicial District: Two vacancies. Neither appointee may be a registered Democrat.
  • Twenty-Second Judicial District: One vacancy. Appointee must be a resident of Dolores County.
  • Supreme Court: Two vacancies. One appointee must be a resident of the Second Congressional District and the other a resident of the Seventh Congressional District.

Click here to read the full release about the commission vacancies from State Judicial.

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La Plata and Montezuma Counties Conducting Court Service-Improvement Program This Week

July 19, 2011 by Leave a Comment

This week, judges, magistrates, clerks, and other court employees will again collect data to help improve the way the courts of Colorado’s Sixth and Twenty-Second Judicial Districts conduct their business. The court service-improvement program, which was first instituted in 2008, uses public surveys to gather information and assess the functioning and accessibility of the courts in each district. In the last three years, the surveys have been used at least once in each of Colorado’s twenty-two judicial districts.

Judicial officers, clerks and other court employees will spend time talking to people about their experiences as jurors, parties to a case, or as recipients of other Judicial Branch services. Attorneys, law enforcement officers, and anyone who does business with the courts will be encouraged to participate.

People leaving the La Plata County Courthouse on Wednesday, July 20, and the Montezuma County Courthouse on Thursday, July 21, will be asked whether they had business with the courts and are willing to fill out a brief anonymous survey. The survey forms will be available both in English and Spanish.

The survey is designed to gauge public opinion about access to and fairness of the courts. Questions include whether people felt safe in the building, whether they could easily understand the forms they needed, and whether they felt their case was handled in a fair manner. Participants also are asked whether they felt the judge or magistrate listened to them, whether they had all the necessary information before making a decision, and whether they felt they were treated with courtesy and given clear information about the next step in their case.

In Fiscal Year 2010, about 10,600 cases were filed in the courts of the Sixth Judicial District.  That number includes 3,019 cases filed in District Court and 6,038 in La Plata County Court.

In Fiscal Year 2010, about 4,900 cases were filed in the courts of the Twenty-Second Judicial District.  That number includes 1,152 cases filed in District Court and 3,459 in Montezuma County Court.

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