On Thursday, August 30, 2012, Governor John Hickenlooper appointed Ruth Acheson to serve as a county court judge in the Twelfth Judicial District, which serves Mineral County. Acheson will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable F. Stennard Lentz, effective January 8, 2013.

Acheson currently is in private practice for the Law Office of Ruth M. Acheson, a position she has held since 2004. Her practice consists exclusively of child protective issues. Prior to starting her own firm, Acheson worked as a public defender in the Twelfth Judicial District for nearly twenty years.

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

The Twelfth Judicial District Nominating Commission has nominated three candidates for a Mineral County Court judgeship created by the retirement of the Honorable F. Stannard Lentz on January 8, 2013.

The nominees for the bench are Ruth Acheson of unincorporated Mineral County, and Phillip Nicholson and Larry Woods, who are both from Creede. All were selected by the commission on August 13, 2012.

Under the Colorado Constitution, Governor Hickenlooper has until August 29 to appoint one of the nominees as County Court Judge for Mineral County.

Comments regarding any of the nominees may be sent via e-mail to the governor at judicial.appointments@state.co.us.

The Twelfth Judicial District Nominating Commission will meet Monday, August 13, 2012 at the Mineral County Courthouse to interview and select nominees for appointment by Governor Hickenlooper to the office of County Judge for Mineral County. The vacancy will be created by the retirement of the Honorable F. Stannard Lentz on January 8, 2013.

Eligible applicants for appointment to fill the vacancy must be qualified electors of Mineral County and must have graduated high school or attained the equivalent of a high school education as indicated by the Department of Education. Applications must be received by Friday, July 20. The appointed county court judge will serve an initial provisional term of two years before facing a retention election. If retained in the general election, judges serve four-year terms.

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