Twentieth Judicial District - Boulder County Court Judge
Honorable Virginia Louise Chavez
Retention Year: 1990
Recommendation: Retain
Judicial Performance Commission’s recommendation: Should Be Retained
Judge Chavez was admitted to the Colorado Bar in 1978. Between 1978 and 1983 she was a staff attorney at the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals and a Deputy District Attorney at the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office. From 1983 to 1987 she was in private practice, and in 1987 she was appointed County Court Judge. Approximately half of her current caseload is traffic matters, with the balance roughly divided equally between criminal and civil cases.
Chavez received overall positive responses on the Commission’s survey in knowledge and understanding of the law, preparation, punctuality and administrative skill. She received significant criticism in the area of judicial demeanor. The Commission believes she is sincerely well-intentioned, but her intensity and rapid fire style are perceived as arrogant and abrupt. This first-term jurist could work on developing more skill at balancing the need to control her docket with the need to listen to people and give each case the attention it deserves.