The 22nd Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance reviewed the performance of two local judges up for re-election in 2012, and recommended that each judge be retained.
Todd Plewe, District Judge, and Judge E. Dale Boyd, Dolores County Judge, both received positive recommendations last week.
The 22nd Judicial District Commissioners on Judicial Performance are residents of the district appointed by the Colorado governor to review the performance of judges and to make recommendations to the state regarding retention of the judges. The commission may suggest whether or not to retain a judge and may suggest areas where a judge may need to improve.
Each judge was interviewed in person, and the commission attended court hearings, reviewed legal opinions issued by the judges and analyzed numerous surveys provided by attorneys and parties appearing before the judges.
Plewe was appointed to the District court bench for the 22nd Judicial District in 2010. Prior to the appointment, he served as the Montezuma County Court judge from 2002 through 2010.
Plewe received his undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University and his law degree from the University of Colorado School of Law in 1997.
Plewe participates in meetings of the Violence Prevention Coalition, SB94, and Juvenile Service Committee and is the co-chair of the Office of Dispute Resolution Advisory Committee as well as being actively involved in the 22nd Judicial District drug court.
One item the commission noted is that one survey respondent recommended Plewe visit one of the state prisons to aid him in making sentencing decisions, and through his own self-initiative visited the state penitentiary in Cañon City.
Plewe has attended the Colorado Judicial Conference annually and continues to seek out opportunities for continuing education and plans to concentrate on increasing his civil law education in the near future.
He scored an overall combined average of a 3.28 on a 4.0 point scale in the survey.
Of all attorneys surveyed, 84 percent recommended to retain, 8 percent not to retain, and 8 percent were undecided or didnt have enough information to make a recommendation.
Boyd was appointed as the Dolores County Court Judge on Jan. 4, 2005.
He also serves as the municipal judge for the town of Dove Creek.
Boyd graduated with a bachelors in agricultural science from New Mexico State University in 1970 and also works as a rancher specializing in alfalfa hay production and raising Limousine cattle. The commission reviewed the results of surveys, reviewed the self-evaluation of Boyd, conducted unannounced courtroom observation, reviewed case load statistics, and conducted an interview with him prior to making the recommendation for retention.
According to the survey one of Boyds strengths is his neutrality and fairness. Most of his cases involve parties not represented by attorneys, and he strives to manage a courtroom forum that both encourages and accommodates participation by all parties, but also adheres to the law and maintains order.
Boyd is one of the few lay judges in Colorado. Although he possesses no formal legal training, he is able to contact other Colorado judges and utilize provided judicial resources and training, if needed.
Of all attorneys surveyed about Boyds retention, 92 percent recommended to retain and 8 percent recommended not to retain.
Of all non-attorneys surveyed, 90 percent recommended to retain, 8 percent not to retain, and 2 percent were undecided or didnt have enough information to make a recommendation.