Second Judicial District - District Court Judge
Honorable Christina M. Habas
Retention Year: 2006
Recommendation: Retain
Reports:
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The Second Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously recommends that Judge Christina M. Habas BE RETAINED.
Judge Habas was appointed to the District Court bench in December of 2003. She was born and attended schools in Denver, and received her law degree from the University of Denver Law School in 1982. Prior to her appointment, she practiced with a Denver law firm, specializing in civil rights, employment and tort (wrongful acts) cases.
Judge Habas’ present docket consists of 100 % criminal cases. She strives to gain understanding and agreement, especially in those cases involving divorce, custody, property and other disputes under domestic relations law. She uses vacation time to teach and study at the National Institute of Trial Advocacy in Washington, DC. Also, she speaks from time to time on aspects of the judicial process to local community groups.
The Commission reviewed results from a Performance Survey of attorneys and non-attorneys who have been in Judge Habas’ courtroom over the past two years.
Responses were tabulated and summarized on questions about her case management, knowledge and application of the law, communications, demeanor, diligence and fairness. Verbatim comments from both groups were included in the survey report. A written self-evaluation and a personal interview were also used by the Commission as the basis for this recommendation.
Among the attorneys responding, 82% favored retention, and among the non-attorneys, 98% favored the retention of Judge Habas. Comments from both groups, in large majorities, praised her fairness, thorough understanding of the law, and human relations in her courtroom. Considering that parties to disputes over domestic relations are more likely than in other areas to express dissatisfaction with the judges’ conduct and rulings in their cases, Judge Habas’ ratings among those persons are extraordinarily high.