Verna L. Carpenter
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Verna L. Carpenter is the Division E judge on the Jefferson County Court in Colorado. She was initially appointed by Gov. Bill Ritter (D) in 2008 and won retention to a full four-year term in 2012. Carpenter won retention in the general election on November 8, 2016.
Biography
Carpenter received an undergraduate degree from Metropolitan State College of Denver and a J.D. from Creighton University School of Law. Prior to joining the court, Carpenter served as a chief deputy district attorney for Denver.[1]
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.
Verna L. Carpenter was retained in the Jefferson County Court, Verna L. Carpenter Retention Election with 68.75 percent of the vote.
| Jefferson County Court, Verna L. Carpenter Retention Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes votes | |
 Verna L. Carpenter | 68.75% | |
| 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.[2] Judges are initially appointed to two-year terms and then run in retention elections for four-year terms afterward.[3] 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.
Judicial performance evaluation
The First Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance announced its recommendations for judges up for retention in 2016. According to its website, the commission evaluates judges based on "courtroom observations, a review of written decisions, an interview with the judge, case management reports, and judicial evaluations responses from attorneys and non-attorneys who have experience before the judge."[4]
The commission unanimously recommended Carpenter for retention. The report gave the following explanation for this decision:[5]
| “ | Commission members conducted a personal interview with Judge Carpenter, reviewed opinions she authored, observed her in court, and reviewed surveys sent to attorneys and non-attorneys who have appeared in her courtroom. Among the survey questions was “how strongly do you recommend that Judge Carpenter be retained in office, or not be retained in office?” Of those who completed the survey, 70% of attorneys recommended retaining her in office, and 88% of non-attorneys recommended retention.[6] | ” |
2012
- See also: Colorado judicial elections, 2012
Carpenter was retained in the general election on November 6, 2012, winning 68.51 percent of the vote.[7]
Judicial performance evaluation
The First 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.[8]
Judge Carpenter was recommended for retention by an unanimous vote. [1]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, Verna L. Carpenter
- ↑ 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 Commission on Judicial Performance, "Judicial Performance Evaluations," accessed October 12, 2016
- ↑ Colorado Commission on Judicial Performance, "Judge Verna Carpenter," accessed October 12, 2016
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 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)
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
