Fourth Judicial District - District Court Judge
Honorable Diana K. May
Retention Year: 2024
Recommendation: Meets Performance Standards
Reports:
2024 Retention Survey Report (PDF)
2023 Interim Survey Report (PDF)
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The Fourth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance voted 7-0 with three absent that Judge Diana K. May MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
Judge May’s docket includes 49% juvenile, 1% domestic relations and 50% criminal. She recently was named as the Presiding Juvenile Court Judge. The 2024 survey results for Judge May were mixed. However, the Commission is concerned that the surveys are not helpful because of the very low response rate to the survey. The 17 attorneys and 24 non-attorneys who did respond were divided on whether Judge May meets performance standards. The appellate judges who responded gave Judge May a perfect score of 4.0. Comments about Judge May stated she has a good demeanor in court, she is patient and listens well, she is fair, and she is respectful to all parties. Other comments believe she does not manage her docket efficiently and she tends to favor the prosecution. In the interview with Judge May, the Commission was impressed by her work ethic and willingness to take on the heavy caseload and responsibilities of the presiding juvenile judge. She takes time to consult with her colleagues and to attend CLE courses to get up to speed in new areas of law. She works with the attorneys assigned to her courtroom to set clear expectations so they understand that they should be on time, prepared and professional. She is aware of the comments about favoring the prosecution, but she believes she is neutral with all parties. She takes all the comments seriously and strives to improve her docket management and her demeanor. Though appellate cases are few due to her short time on the bench, her decisions have been affirmed. She has no disciplinary history. She filed her financial disclosures on time. Judge May states that this is her dream job, and she will work hard to serve the Fourth Judicial District well.
The Commission interviewed Judge May and several members observed her in Court. The Commission reviewed her self-evaluation and written opinions. The Commission also spoke with the Chief Judge of the Fourth Judicial District and representatives of the District Attorney’s Office and the Public Defender’s Office. The Commission found this information more informative than the small number of survey responses.
Judge May was appointed to the Fourth Judicial District Court in April 2022. She obtained her law degree from the University of Kansas. Before her appointment, she was an assistant district attorney in the 15th Judicial District and then served as the Chief Deputy District Attorney in the Fourth Judicial District. In 2010, Judge May joined the County Attorney’s Office in El Paso County and served as the County Attorney for El Paso County from April 2019 until her appointment to the bench. She has been a volunteer for Teen Court, TESSA, Safe Passage, the National Charity League and Safe2Tell.