Eleventh Judicial District - Fremont County Court Judge
Honorable William G. Fox
Retention Year: 1992
Recommendation: Retain
Judge Fox has been the County Court Judge for Freemont County since his appointment to the bench July 1, 1986. He is a “90%” County Judge, which means that the caseload of the Freemont County Court is determined to require 90% of a full-time equivalent judge. He is permitted to practice law bud does not currently do so. Since his appointment to the bench he has completed the General Jurisdiction course for trial judges at the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada.
Judge Fox was admitted to the bar in 1977, having received his law degree from the University of Colorado that year. He was in private practice from 1978 until 1986, and served as Florence City Attorney from 1979 until 1986. While in private practice he served on the Ethics Committee of the Colorado Bar Association for one year. In presiding over Freemont County Court, Judge Fox hears cases of limited civil jurisdiction, and criminal cases involving primarily traffic, misdemeanor, and petty offenses. He occasionally is assigned to District Court cases by the chief judge of the 11th Judicial District.
Judge Fox stood for retention in 1988 and was evaluated by a local Judicial Evaluation Committee under the auspices of the Colorado Judicial Institute. He was recommended for retention by the committee, and was retained as county court judge by the electorate in the November 1988 election.
Judge Fox has initiated a number of changes in the Fremont County Court since 1986, in order to streamline the process and make the court more efficient in the face of increasing volume. He noted in his interview with the Judicial Performance Commission that when he was first appointed to the bench there was a six-month backlog of cases. Currently hearing dates are set approximately one month into the future. In his interview Judge Fox emphasized his desire to treat people fairly who come before him, and defined fairness as applying the law correctly.
Of those polled, including attorneys, litigants, jurors, law enforcement personnel, staff persons and probation and social service workers, there was ninety to one hundred percent agreement that Judge Fox displays a sense of justice, treats all parties equally, gives clear oral and written decisions, displays appropriate demeanor, works diligently, is prompt in his rulings, and sentences fairly. Comments provided by those polled indicated that Judge Fox is viewed as a hard working judge with excellent knowledge of the law who runs his court efficiently and treat those who come before him fairly. The Commission also considered comments made during a public hearing.
The 11th Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance recommends that Judge William Gobin Fox be Retained.