Seventeenth Judicial District - Adams County Court Judge
Honorable Ovid R. Beldock
Retention Year: 1992
Recommendation: Retain
Judge Ovid R. Beldock has been a county judge since 1981. He served as a deputy district attorney in Denver County from 1972 to 1973, and subsequently, he was a sole practitioner from 1973 to 1980. From 1980 to 1981 he served as a juvenile commissioner in Adams County. He presently handles criminal cases.
The number of survey questionnaires returned to the Commission for Judge Beldock was very low. A total of forty responses was received. Of those, 36 recommended retention; three recommended against retention; and one made no recommendation. Due to a very small sample of responses it is advisable that the low number be considered and given less weigh in assessing the performance of this judge. The statistical significance of this sample is therefore questionable.
Judge Beldock received only 13 written comments from attorneys, police officers and court personnel. Twelve of the comments were equally divided between positive and negative; one was both positive and negative. Representative comments were: “great understanding of the positions and parties:” “seems to relate well with jurors;” “rules correctly on evidentiary matters;” “[the] methods he uses to the [the] results he does in not sound or based on written law . . . I seriously doubt there is a method [in his opinions] . . .[his} rulings need to be clearer;” “make quick judgments against [police] officers in regard to both civil and criminal matters.”
Most of the attorneys who responded felt he displayed knowledge of the law, evidence and procedure. He was viewed as maintaining control in the courtroom. Eighty-three percent of the court personnel and 85% of the attorneys surveyed felt his oral decisions were clear.
The Commission members who interviewed him rated the judge at an average of 3.44 on a scale of zero to four. One Commission member was impressed with his “team player” approach in working with other judges. Judge Beldock seemed open and honest in his answers throughout the oral interview conducted by the commission. The judge received his lowest scores from among Commission members in the questions related to his knowledge of some areas of the law.
The 17th Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance recommends that Judge Ovid R. Beldock be Retained.