Twelfth Judicial District - District Court Judge
Honorable Kimberly D. Cortez
Retention Year: 2024
Recommendation: Meets Performance Standards
Reports:
2024 Retention Survey Report (PDF)
2023 Interim Survey Report (PDF)
Need an accessible PDF Document Version?
Please click on the link below and email our staff
The Twelfth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance finds that the Honorable Kimberly D. Cortez MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS by a unanimous vote of 8–0, with two absent. The Commission also unanimously voted that Judge Cortez should be recommended for retention as District Court Judge.
The Commission met with Judge Cortez, attended court hearings and trials and reviewed her work since being appointed to District Judge in 2022. We also reviewed feedback from respondents in considering our recommendation. All feedback was overwhelmingly positive in regard to all areas of performance. She was highly rated in her ability to be fair as well as firm in her decisions. The Commission and survey respondents noted that a particular strength of Judge Cortez is her courteous, fair, and impartial demeanor. Her decisions are clear, consistent, and easily understood. Judge Cortez’s time management and courtroom management received high ratings. She was also highly ranked in her application and knowledge of the law as well as her professionalism, diligence and her communication. Judge Cortez was also instrumental in implementing the Competency Court, a much-needed resource in the San Luis Valley. The Commission is confident that Judge Cortez will only continue her stellar performance as District Court Judge for the 12th Judicial District.
Judge Cortez was born in the San Luis Valley, raised in Conejos County, and graduated from Centauri High School in 2002. She received her B.S. in Psychology from Colorado State University in 2006 and her J.D. from University of Colorado at Boulder in 2009. Following law school, Judge Cortez returned to the San Luis Valley, where she worked for Colorado Legal Services and then in private practice. Judge Cortez began working for the courts as the Self-Represented Litigant Coordinator in 2013 until she became Conejos County Court Judge in 2017. She was then appointed District Court Judge in 2022. Judge Cortez is actively involved in community service both within and outside her judicial role.