Third Judicial District - Las Animas County Court Judge
Honorable George A. Newnam
Retention Year: 2002
Recommendation: Retain
Reports:
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The Third Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously recommends that Judge George A. Newnam BE RETAINED.
Judge Newnam has been the Las Animas County Judge for 23 years since 1979. He is a 1970 graduate of Southern Colorado State College where he obtained a degree in education and history. He received his law degree from Baylor University and was admitted to practice law in Colorado in 1973.
Judge Newnam practiced law in Trinidad, Colorado until September 1986. He was also the Municipal Judge for the City of Trinidad from 1979 through 1983. Judge Newnam is a life-long resident of Trinidad and still lives in the same house in which he grew up. He participates in numerous civic activities, including the Kiwanis Club, the Children’s Museum, the Salvation Army and the Trinidad State Junior College Board.
Judge Newnam is a three-quarter part-time judge who hears both civil and criminal cases with the majority of the workload being traffic infractions. He also presides over Small Claims Court and handles matters assigned to him on occasion from District Court.
The Commission found Judge Newnam to be fair, courteous, even-tempered and free from arrogance. Some survey respondents commented that Judge Newnam should step down from his judicial office solely due to the length of his service on the bench. However, the Commission finds this an inadequate reason to oppose retention, especially in light of the other generally favorable survey comments concerning Judge Newnam.
Thirteen attorneys responded to the survey and generally ranked Judge Newnam as high or higher than the state average for all county and trial judges. Eighty-six percent of the attorneys recommended retention and 14% recommended non-retention. Of the 99 non-
attorneys responding to the survey, 79% recommended retention, 13% recommended non-retention and 8% had no opinion.
Based on the Commission’s interview with Judge Newnam, his self-evaluation and the opinions provided in the survey of attorneys, litigants and court staff, the Commission unanimously voted to recommend retention of Judge George A. Newnam.