Sixteenth Judicial District - District Court Judge
Honorable M. Jon Kolomitz
Retention Year: 2000
Recommendation: Retain
The Sixteenth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance STRONGLY RECOMMENDS and urges that Judge M. Jon Kolomitz BE RETAINED.
Judge M. Jon Kolomitz was appointed to the District Court bench on February 1, 1985. He became Chief Judge of the Sixteenth Judicial District in July 1988.
Judge Kolomitz received his legal education at the University of Colorado. Thereafter, Judge Kolomitz entered government service as an agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigations. In l969, he returned to La Junta to open a private practice.
Judge Kolomitz serves as the Chief Judge of the Sixteenth Judicial District. The Sixteenth Judicial District covers the Colorado counties of Bent, Crowley and Otero. As a multi-county district, the District Judges must hold court in each of the three counties in the district. Judge Kolomitz sits for at least a portion of one day per week in Bent and Crowley Counties. As the Chief Judge, Judge Kolomitz performs administrative duties overseeing court administration within the District. These administrative duties are in addition to his primary duties as a trial judge. As a District Judge, Judge Kolomitz hears felony criminal, domestic relations (including Dependency and Neglect cases), probate, mental health and civil cases.
Judge Kolomitz is extremely active in State Judicial activities and has been instrumental in advancing children's rights through his involvement in those activities.
As a part of the evaluation process, questionnaires regarding the judge's performance were sent out to a sampling of attorneys, law enforcement officers, courthouse personnel and past jurors. Additionally, the District Commission solicited oral and written comments regarding the judge from the general public at three public hearings conducted within the District. A review of the responses contained in these materials reveals that Judge Kolomitz received consistently high marks from each group surveyed.
Of individuals who were sampled, 84% recommended retention which is remarkably HIGHER than the statewide retention rate.
The committee also interviewed Judge Kolomitz. The committee found him to be well informed and extremely knowledgeable about all matters having to do with the District Court. Judge Kolomitz appears to have a firm grasp of the requirements of his position and the ability to perform those tasks competently. The judge is concerned with and supports innovation in the court system.