Karla J. Hansen
Karla J. Hansen was a judge on the El Paso County Court in Colorado. She served on the court from 2001 to 2021. She was initially appointed in 2001 and won retention to full four-year terms in 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016. She won retention most recently in the general election on November 8, 2016. She left office on January 12, 2021, at the end of her term.[1]
Biography
Hansen received a bachelor's degree in nuclear medicine technology from the University of Wisconsin La Crosse in 1978 and a J.D. from the University of Utah College of Law in 1986. For the next eight years, she was a deputy district attorney in the Colorado 8th Judicial District. She then operated her own private practice from 1995 until her appointment to the county court in 2001.[2]
Elections
2016
Colorado held judicial retention elections in 2016. Thirty-six county court judges sought retention to four-year terms in the general election on November 8, 2016.
Karla J. Hansen was retained in the El Paso County Court, Karla J. Hansen Retention Election with 62.27 percent of the vote.
| El Paso County Court, Karla J. Hansen Retention Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes votes | |
 Karla J. Hansen | 62.27% | |
| Source: Colorado Secretary of State, "Unofficial election results," accessed November 8, 2016 | ||
Selection method
Judges of the Colorado County Courts are each appointed by the governor with the help of a commission—except in Denver, Colorado, where judges are appointed by the mayor rather than the governor.[3] Judges are initially appointed to two-year terms and then run in retention elections for four-year terms afterward.[4] To serve on this court, a judge must be a qualified elector and resident of the county and licensed to practice law in the state. Some small counties only require a high school degree or equivalent but require judges to attend an institute to learn about county court duties.
2012
- See also: Colorado judicial elections, 2012
Hansen was retained in the general election on November 6, 2012, winning 56.89 percent of the vote.[5]
Judicial performance evaluation
The Fourth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance announced its recommendations for judges up for retention in 2012. According to its website, the commission evaluates judges based on the following criteria: integrity, legal knowledge, communication skills, judicial temperament, and administrative performance.[6]
Judge Hansen was not recommended for retention by a 7-2 vote.
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.[2]
In her defense, 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% and 93% respectively).[7][8][9] | ” |
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Fox 21 News, "Gov. Polis appoints judges to Dolores County, El Paso County, and 2nd Judicial District Court," September 17, 2020
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, Karla J. Hansen
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Colorado; Limited Jurisdiction Courts," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ State of Colorado Judicial Branch, "Judicial Nominating Commissions," accessed June 20, 2014
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, 2012 Official General Election Results
- ↑ Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, Press Release: Judge Evaluations Available on Internet August 7 (dead link)
- ↑ Law Weekly Colorado, "Judge Receives A ‘Do Not Retain’ Recommendation In Evaluation," August 7, 2012
- ↑ The Gazette, "El Paso County judge should be ousted, reviewers say," September 16, 2012
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
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
