Eighteenth Judicial District - Arapahoe County Court Judge
Honorable Melina Hernandez
Retention Year: 2024
Recommendation: Meets Performance Standards
Reports:
2024 Retention Survey Report (PDF)
2023 Interim Survey Report (PDF)
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The Eighteenth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance agrees by a vote of 6-1, with three Commissioners absent from voting, that Judge Melina Hernandez MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
Judge Hernandez is serving as a Judge for the Civil Courts. While new to the Civil Court docket, Judge Hernandez has quickly made an impact and innovated new approaches to serving those who come into her courtroom. Those who interact with Judge Hernandez describe her as dedicated, hardworking, and committed. Commission members observed Judge Hernandez’s passion for pro se individuals. Judge Hernandez is praised for her approach to addressing evictions and ensuring interpreters are available to mitigate language barriers. Based on these findings the Commission agreed by a vote of 6-1, with three Commissioners absent from voting, that Judge Hernandez meets performance standards.
In addition to meeting with Chief Judge Amico, the Commission interviewed members of the District Attorney’s Office, Public Defender’s Office and Probation regarding their interactions with and impressions of Judge Hernandez’s performance. Survey responses from both attorneys and non-attorneys affirmed Judge Hernandez’s support of pro se litigants. She has innovated new tools and resources to ensure litigants are aware of their rights and courtroom rules. This people centered approach has been received well by individuals and lay citizens in her courtroom. During her time with the Commission, Judge Hernandez shared her efforts in providing support to litigants in her courtroom by creating access to language support, virtual access, and interpretation resources. Judge Hernandez’s surveys demonstrated strengths in her case management, communication, and extension of virtual options. Feedback and survey responses reflecting concerns seemed to correlate with Judge Hernandez’s previous assignment to a criminal docket. Following her transition to a civil docket, there has been a noticeable enhancement in her performance.
Honorable Melina Hernandez was appointed to the Arapahoe County Court in 2021. She also served as a magistrate in the Denver Juvenile Court and as a family court facilitator in the Denver District Court. Judge Hernandez is bilingual and is dedicated to expanding access to justice in the judiciary. Additionally, Judge Hernandez is committed to improving equity, inclusion, and diversity in the legal field. She has served on the board of the Colorado Women’s Bar Association and Arapahoe County Bar Association. Judge Hernandez is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.