Second Judicial District - District - Juvenile Court Judge
Honorable Karen M. Ashby
Retention Year: 2012
Recommendation: Retain
Reports:
2012 Retention Survey Report (PDF)
2011 Interim Survey Report (PDF)
2009 Interim Survey Report (PDF)
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The Second Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously recommends that Presiding Judge Karen M. Ashby BE RETAINED.
Judge Ashby was appointed to the Denver Juvenile Court bench in September of 1998. Prior to her appointment to the bench, Judge Ashby practiced in the Denver Trial Office of the Colorado State Public Defender and then entered private practice specializing in criminal trials and appeals and family law. Judge Ashby received her undergraduate degree from Williams College and graduated from the University of Denver College of Law in 1983. Judge Ashby hears all types of juvenile cases and presently serves as the Presiding Judge of the Denver Juvenile Court. She also presides over the Family Integrated Drug Court (FIDC) docket, which is a problem-solving court docket combining adult criminal and Dependency and Neglect cases.
The Commission interviewed Judge Ashby and reviewed her very thoughtful and detailed self-evaluation. The Commission also reviewed three written rulings, a verbal termination of parental rights order (along with the Court of Appeals opinion vacating that order), and survey results from attorneys and non-attorneys. Judge Ashby has been described as the go to person on juvenile issues in the state of Colorado. As presiding judge of the only Juvenile Court in the state and only the second such court in the country, she has been extensively involved in community activities and is highly sought after to speak to state and national judicial groups. Judge Ashby received high ratings from attorneys in the areas of application and knowledge of law and communications. Non-attorneys gave Judge Ashby high ratings in almost every category, particularly in the areas of demeanor, fairness, communications, and application of law.
Of all attorneys surveyed about retention, 79% recommend retain, 14% not to retain, and 7% were either undecided or didn’t have enough information to make a recommendation. Of those expressing an opinion to retain or not to retain, 84% recommended to retain and 16% not to retain. Of all non-attorneys surveyed, 86% recommend retain, 7% not to retain, and 7% were undecided or didn’t have enough information to make a recommendation. Of those expressing an opinion to retain or not to retain, 93% recommended to retain and 8% not to retain. (These percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.)