Fifteenth Judicial District - District Judge
Honorable Michael Davidson
Retention Year: 2018
Recommendation: Meets Performance Standard
The Fifteenth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously recommends by a vote of 8-0 that Judge Michael Davidson MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
Judge Davidson received his undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado and his Juris Doctorate from Texas Southern University, Thurgood Marshall School of Law. Judge Davidson began his career as a Deputy District Attorney in the Fifteenth Judicial District and later served two full terms as the elected District Attorney. Prior to his appointment as a district court judge, Judge Davidson worked as an associate attorney at Scranton Specht & Associates, P.C. in Lamar, Colorado, practicing in the areas of criminal defense, family law, and civil litigation.
The Commission conducted extensive research in recommending that Judge Davidson meets performance standards, including surveys, courtroom observations, a review of caseload data, a review of his self-evaluation and written orders, and interviews. Non-attorneys (35) and attorneys (14) who submitted responses to our survey gave Judge Davidson excellent scores overall, with 86% recommending that Judge Davidson meets performance standards. Two appellate court judges who submitted surveys gave Judge Davidson perfect scores.
The Commission found that Judge Davidson’s performance is excellent in many areas. In particular, the Commission found that Judge Davidson’s preparation, knowledge and application of the law are superb. The Commission also found that Judge Davidson’s calm and neutral demeanor and his willingness to listen to litigants create fair and professional proceedings that foster the public’s trust in the criminal justice system. Lastly, the Commission notes Judge Davidson’s participation in the Dependency and Neglect System Reform program (DANSR) which integrates family drug court practices into dependency and neglect cases and is widely credited with helping local youth and struggling parents overcome addiction.