Eighth Judicial District - Larimer County Court Judge
Honorable Christine A. Carney
Retention Year: 2000
Recommendation: Retain
The Eighth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously recommends that Judge Christine A. Carney BE RETAINED.
Judge Carney was appointed as a Larimer County Court Judge on July 1, 1998. Before her appointment Judge Carney practiced as an attorney primarily in the field of criminal law. She is a graduate of Michigan State University and CU Law School (1980).
The Judicial Performance Commission personally interviewed each judge in the District whose term was nearing completion and who was seeking retention. Further, written evaluations were requested from a random sample of attorneys, court employees, law enforcement personnel, jurors, litigants, crime victims and other constituents who have been involved in proceedings in each judge's court. Survey results were designed and compiled by an independent agency to provide confidentiality. Results from crime victims were deemed unreliable due to insufficient responses.
Eighty-eight (88) non-attorneys and 33 attorneys responded to a survey on the performance of Judge Carney in the six areas of courtesy, impartiality, communication skills, judicial temperament, diligence, and application of law. Seventy-eight percent (78%) of non-attorneys and 91% of attorneys recommended that Judge Carney be retained in office. Sixteen percent (16%) of non-attorneys and 3% of attorneys recommended that Judge Carney not be retained in office. Six percent (6%) of non-attorneys and 6% of attorneys had no opinion with respect to retention. Judge Carney received her highest ratings in the categories of judicial temperament, impartiality and communication skills.
Judge Carney has taken solid management steps to building a team relationship with her staff. She is flexible and accommodating to the demands of the office. She has prepared a plain-English handout for pro se (self-represented) defendants which explains courtroom procedures. Her caseload is managed in a timely fashion. She uses humor and has an open attitude in the courtroom, creating an atmosphere in which litigants can feel they are fairly heard and can understand her rulings.
The Eighth Judicial Performance Review Commission believes Judge Carney to be professional and competent and considers her an asset to the Larimer County bench.