Ninth Judicial District - Garfield County Court Judge
Honorable Paul H. Metzger
Retention Year: 2010
Recommendation: Retain
Reports:
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The Ninth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously recommends that Judge Paul H. Metzger BE RETAINED, with one Commissioner absent.
Judge Metzger was appointed Garfield County Judge in August 2002. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Metzger had a civil trial practice in Glenwood Springs, Colorado and served for approximately two and one-half years as the Town of New Castle’s Municipal Judge. Judge Metzger has for years devoted substantial time coaching the local high school mock trial team and frequently speaks to students (and others) visiting the courthouse and in local schools.
The Commission reviewed written evaluations of Judge Metzger from attorneys and non-attorneys, including written comments attached to evaluation questionnaires. The Commission also reviewed his written self-evaluation, conducted a personal interview with the judge, made several visits to observe Judge Metzger’s courtroom, and received verbal comments from attorneys and non-attorneys.
The Commission felt that Judge Metzger has continued to be an asset to the Ninth Judicial District bench, and has done an excellent job of moving his docket and making attorneys and non-attorneys feel comfortable in his courtroom. Judge Metzger could teach a class on judicial temperament. He is occasionally criticized for sometimes wanting to please all sides and give both parties something instead of just issuing a ruling deciding that one side or the other had prevailed.
Of all attorneys surveyed about retention, 98% recommended to retain, 2% not to retain, and 0% expressed no opinion. Of all non-attorneys surveyed, 91% recommended to retain, 6% not to retain, and 4% expressed no opinion. Excluding those who had no opinion, 94% recommended to retain and 6% not to retain. (These percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.) These percentages were higher than the average for all county court judges in the Ninth Judicial District.