Colorado Court of Appeals
Honorable Jerry N. Jones
Retention Year: 2008
Recommendation: Retain
Reports:
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The State Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously recommends that Judge Jerry N. Jones BE RETAINED.
Judge Jones was appointed to the Colorado Court of Appeals in 2006. He grew up in Anchorage, Alaska, and received his undergraduate education at Arizona State University. He graduated from the University of Denver College of Law, where he was the Tenth Circuit Survey Editor of the Denver University Law Review. After receiving his law degree, he clerked for Associate Justice George E. Lohr of the Colorado Supreme Court. For seven years he was a member of Second Judicial District Performance Commission, serving for five years as its chair. He has also been a member of the Colorado Bar Association’s Amicus Committee and the Faculty of Federal Advocates.
Immediately prior to his appointment to the Court, Judge Jones served as Chief of the United States Attorney's Appellate Division (2004-2006). Before that, he was with the Denver law firm of Moye Giles LLP for 17 years, first as an associate and later as a partner. During a portion of that time, he also served as a Special Assistant Attorney General, handling criminal and higher education matters.
Judge Jones efficiently prepares and issues opinions, occasionally taking additional cases to assist other judges. Attorneys who responded to survey questions rated Judge Jones somewhat above the survey average for refraining from reaching issues that need not be decided, and slightly below the average for making decisions without regard to possible criticism, while judges rated him as comparable in all respects to other appellate judges. Attorneys commented that he is fair and well-prepared, while judges complimented both his analytical ability and his efficiency. While Judge Jones strives to convey to litigants that each case receives his full attention and they have received a fair hearing, there is a perception that at times he can be too short with attorneys during argument, and he is working on being more patient.
The Commission also reviewed various opinions that Judge Jones wrote. His opinions were particularly well-written; they tended to be carefully reasoned and supported by applicable statutes and case precedents. Overall, 95% of attorneys surveyed and 100% of judges surveyed supported Judge Jones’ retention, with 64% of attorneys and 83% of judges strongly recommending that he be retained in office.