Colorado judicial elections, 2012

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Judicial Elections
Judicial elections, 2012
Judicial election dates

The Colorado judicial elections consisted of the general election in November 2012.

Colorado judicial elections summary, 2012

Supreme Appellate Trial Total candidates 1 6 83 Unopposed candidates 0 Judges facing retention 1 6 83 Judges retained 1 6 83 Judges re-elected Judges not re-elected New judges elected Partisan or Nonpartisan   Retention

Supreme Court

Candidate	Incumbent	Retention vote:	Retention Vote %
CoatsNathan Coats   A	Yes	1,399,326	71.39%A

Court of Appeals

Candidate	Incumbent	Retention vote:	Retention Vote %
TaubmanDaniel Taubman   A	Yes	1,357,452	71.42%A
GrahamDennis Graham   A	Yes	1,336,261	69.89%A
MillerGale Miller   A	Yes	1,350,977	70.88%A
CaseboltJames Casebolt   A	Yes	1,391,604	72.64%A
WebbJohn Webb (Colorado)   A	Yes	1,359,521	71.63%A
BoorasLaurie Booras   A	Yes	1,395,803	72.19%A

District Courts

First Judicial District

Candidate	Incumbent	Retention vote:	Retention Vote %
PhillipsChristine Bachmeyer Phillips   A	Yes	167,950	71.29%A
MunchChristopher Munch   A	Yes	169,143	71.39%A

Second Judicial District

Candidate	Incumbent	Retention vote:	Retention Vote %
FrickAnn Frick   A	Yes	148,150	77.47%A
LemonCatherine A. Lemon   A	Yes	147,448	77.84%A
LaffKenneth M. Laff   A	Yes	135,760	72.14%A
HoffmanMorris B. Hoffman   A	Yes	144,324	75.77%A
MullinsR. Michael Mullins   A	Yes	143,279	76.16%A
GilmanShelley I. Gilman   A	Yes	147,854	77.91%A

Third Judicial District

Candidate	Incumbent	Retention vote:	Retention Vote %
AppelClaude Appel   A	Yes	6,158	68.13%A

Fourth Judicial District

Candidate	Incumbent	Retention vote:	Retention Vote %
ShakesDavid Shakes   A	Yes	169,196	73.92%A
SchwartzLarry E. Schwartz   A	Yes	168,108	73.34%A
LowreyRobert L. Lowrey   A	Yes	171,286	74.72%A
SellsScott Sells   A	Yes	165,560	72.57%A
CisnerosTheresa M. Cisneros   A	Yes	162,935	69.92%A
SchutzTimothy J. Schutz   A	Yes	165,496	72.26%A

Eighth Judicial District

Candidate	Incumbent	Retention vote:	Retention Vote %
WilliamsDave Williams (Colorado judge)   A	Yes	97,880	76.08%A
OdellDevin R. Odell   A	Yes	94,076	73.47%A

Ninth Judicial District

Candidate	Incumbent	Retention vote:	Retention Vote %
PetreDaniel B. Petre   A	Yes	21,315	74.65%A
BoydJames Berkley Boyd   A	Yes	21,970	76.61%A

Tenth Judicial District

Candidate	Incumbent	Retention vote:	Retention Vote %
CrockenbergDavid W. Crockenberg   A	Yes	50,731	75.87%A
EylerDeborah Eyler   A	Yes	49,721	75.45%A

Eleventh Judicial District

Candidate	Incumbent	Retention vote:	Retention Vote %
BartonCharles Barton   A	Yes	24,468	70.35%A

Twelfth Judicial District

Candidate	Incumbent	Retention vote:	Retention Vote %
SwiftPattie P. Swift   A	Yes	14,974	77.11%A

Thirteenth Judicial District

Candidate	Incumbent	Retention vote:	Retention Vote %
HobbsCharles M. Hobbs   A	Yes	19,963	70.61%A
SingerMichael K. Singer   A	Yes	20,214	70.71%A

Fourteeneth Judicial District

Candidate	Incumbent	Retention vote:	Retention Vote %
O'Hara IIIMichael A. O'Hara III   A	Yes	16,487	77.08%A

Fifteenth Judicial District

Candidate	Incumbent	Retention vote:	Retention Vote %
TallmanDouglas Tallman   A	Yes	5,386	69.80%A

Sixteenth Judicial District

Candidate	Incumbent	Retention vote:	Retention Vote %
KolomitzM. Jon Kolomitz   A	Yes	8,028	75.39%A

Seventeenth Judicial District

Candidate	Incumbent	Retention vote:	Retention Vote %
MelonakisChris Melonakis   A	Yes	115,856	69.96%A
MossEdward C. Moss   A	Yes	113,172	69.51%A

Eighteenth Judicial District

Candidate	Incumbent	Retention vote:	Retention Vote %
CrossChristopher Cross   A	Yes	252,982	72.28%A
HannenJ. Mark Hannen   A	Yes	252,367	72.52%A
HortonKurt Horton   A	Yes	238,812	68.86%A
AntrimMarilyn Antrim   A	Yes	234,083	66.81%A
SpearMichael Spear   A	Yes	233,065	67.12%A

Nineteenth Judicial District

Candidate	Incumbent	Retention vote:	Retention Vote %
TuttleDinsmore Tuttle   A	Yes	56,686	63.01%A
StrobelElizabeth Strobel   A	Yes	59,929	66.20%A
Hartmann, Jr.James F. Hartmann, Jr.   A	Yes	64,012	70.59%A
TaylorTodd Leslie Taylor   A	Yes	62,732	69.63%A

Twentieth Judicial District

Candidate	Incumbent	Retention vote:	Retention Vote %
MallardDolores Mallard   A	Yes	97,408	78.89%A
MulvahillThomas Mulvahill   A	Yes	98,320	79.64%A

Twenty-Second Judicial District

Candidate	Incumbent	Retention vote:	Retention Vote %
PleweTodd Plewe   A	Yes	7,816	67.56%A

County Courts

For information on the County Court elections, visit: Colorado judicial elections, 2012 - County Courts.

Ballot measure

Proposed

The Colorado Judicial Reform Amendment (2012) was a proposed initiated constitutional amendment. It was filed by Dennis Polhill and Douglas Campbell. The measure sought to make a number of changes to the state judicial system, including:

• Changing how judges are appointed.
• Changing how long judges can serve.
• Reducing the number of Colorado Supreme Court justices from seven to five.
• Requiring Senate confirmation hearings for appointees.

The Colorado Supreme Court Term Limit Measure (2012) was a proposed initiated constitutional amendment. It was filed by Peter Coulter. The measure sought to make several changes to the Colorado Supreme Court, including:

• Reducing terms from ten years to two years.
• Reducing the length a person can serve as Chief Justice to two years.

Neither measure made the ballot.

In the news

Judge who received negative performance review stands for retention

As featured in JP Election Brief: Retentions, retirements and ratings on September 20, 2012.

Judge Karla J. Hansen of the El Paso County Court plans to stand for retention this year. She will be the only Colorado judge with a "do not retain" recommendation to stand in this year's retention election.

In a 7-2 vote, the State Commission on Judicial Performance decided not to recommend Judge Hansen for retention. In the survey for judicial retention Hansen scored below average in the areas of "treating parties with respect" (2.79/4) and "conducting her courtroom in a neutral manner" (2.68/4). Her overall score was 2.96/4 while the average judge scored 3.29/4.

In response, Hansen wrote a letter saying,

“

I have felt honored to serve the citizens of this county for eleven years. The Judicial Performance Commission has chosen not to include my overall combined survey score of 3.43, compared to an average statewide of 3.45. My survey scores are above average in the areas of work ethic, legal analysis, and efficient case management. I am a no-nonsense judge who follows the letter of the law. I incarcerate dangerous drunk drivers for the protection of the public. Attorneys and non-attorneys who have appeared in my Court recommended retention by a significant majority (72 percent and 93 percent respectively).

”

Read the 2012 Judicial Survey Performance Report for Karla Hasen

Colorado 2012 retention elections

As featured in JP Election Brief: 2012 Retention Elections on July 5, 2012.

The state of Colorado has used the merit selection system of judicial selection for all levels of state courts since 1967. Following appointment by the governor, judges must run for retention in the next general election that occurs more than two years after they take office, and at the end of each full term thereafter.

In 1988, the Colorado General Assembly created the State Commission on Judicial Performance "to provide fair, responsible and constructive evaluations of trial and appellate judges and justices" at the state level, and commissions in each judicial district evaluate district and county court judges. They evaluate judges based on surveys of those who come in contact with the judicial system, and "[e]ach evaluation includes a narrative profile with a "Retain," "Do Not Retain," or "No Opinion" recommendation."

This year, Justices Monica Márquez and Nathan Coats are up for retention to the Colorado Supreme Court.

External links

• Colorado judges seeking to be retained in office in 2012

Footnotes

Colorado courts

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Federal courts:

Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Colorado • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Colorado

State courts:

Colorado Supreme Court • Colorado Court of Appeals • Colorado District Courts • Colorado County Courts • Denver Probate Court • Denver Juvenile Court • Colorado Municipal Courts • Colorado Water Courts

State resources:

Courts in Colorado • Colorado judicial elections • Judicial selection in Colorado