Espinosa, Adam 2018 Evaluation

Reports:
2018 Retention Survey Report
2017 Interim Survey Report

The Second Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously (10-0) agrees that Judge Adam J. Espinosa MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.

Judge Adam J. Espinosa was appointed to the Denver County Court on January 13, 2015, and began presiding over a civil docket the next day. Judge Espinosa received an undergraduate degree at the University of Kansas and his law degree from Washburn University School of Law. Before taking the bench, he worked in the trial division of the Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel (OARC), where he investigated, settled, and tried cases involving attorney misconduct before the Presiding Disciplinary Judge and the Colorado Supreme Court. He spent nearly five years with OARC and became familiar with many different areas of the law in that job.

The Commission conducted a personal interview with Judge Espinosa, reviewed opinions he authored and his self-evaluation. Selected members of the Commission observed Judge Espinosa in court. The Commission also reviewed survey responses from attorneys and non-attorneys who were familiar with Judge Espinosa’s work. Among the survey questions was “based on your responses to the previous questions related to the performance evaluation criteria, do you think Judge Espinosa meets judicial performance standards?” Of the 22 attorneys responding to the survey, 82% answered yes, meets performance standards, 9% answered no, does not meet performance standards and 9% expressed no opinion. Of the 68 non-attorneys responding to the survey, 88% answered yes, meets performance standards, 7% answered no, does not meet performance standards and 4% expressed no opinion (percentages do not equal 100% due to rounding).

Judge Espinosa is currently assigned to the state criminal division, but during this term he also presided in the civil division and the municipal criminal division. As a first term judge, the Commission was impressed with Judge Espinosa’s performance. Survey respondents describe him as professional and knowledgeable, traits the Commission observed as well. The Commission also was impressed with Judge Espinosa’s efforts to improve the legal system by his frequent teaching, speaking and writing. Judge Espinosa was nominated by the Denver Bar Association as Judicial Officer of the Year in 2017. Based on these findings, the Commission unanimously agreed that Judge Espinosa meets judicial performance standards.