Second Judicial District - District Court Judge
Honorable Darryl Shockley
Retention Year: 2022
Recommendation: Meets Performance Standard
Reports:
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The Second Judicial District on Judicial Performance agrees by a vote of 8-0, with two Commissioners absent from voting, that Judge Darryl Shockley MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS. The Colorado statutory judicial performance standards are integrity, legal knowledge, communication skills, judicial temperament, administrative performance, and service to the legal profession and the public.
Judge Shockley presides over civil matters. Judge Shockley meets all aspects of the performance criteria and writes and communicates in a clear, concise, and well-reasoned manner. He is described in survey results as having very good judicial demeanor and treating litigants fairly. Commission members observed these qualities during their evaluation and interview. For the cases open on Judge Shockley’s docket as of April 2022, Judge Shockley met the district court’s benchmark for completing 80% of cases within 18 months. The Commission did not identify any evaluation category in which Judge Shockley displayed a notable weakness.
The Commission met with the Chief Judge of Denver District Court regarding Judge Shockley’s performance. The Commission conducted a personal interview with Judge Shockley and observed him during court proceedings. It also reviewed decisions he authored, recordings from his courtroom, case management data, comments received from interested parties, and judicial performance survey responses from attorneys and non-attorneys that self-reported they had sufficient interaction with Judge Shockley in the courtroom to meaningfully respond. The surveys reflected personal opinions on his Case Management, Application and Knowledge of the Law, Communications, Diligence, Demeanor, and Fairness. Of the 38 attorneys and ten non-attorneys who completed the survey and reported they had sufficient knowledge of Judge Shockley’s performance to evaluate him, 91% of the attorneys and 78% of the non-attorneys believe that Judge Shockley met performance standards. He received ratings slightly below the statewide average among district court judges in the survey areas of Case Management, Application and Knowledge of the Law, Communications, and Diligence. He received ratings slightly higher than the statewide average among district court judges in the survey areas of Demeanor and Fairness. Judge Shockley received a rating slightly above the statewide average for district court judges from the 13 appellate judges who evaluated his performance. While the Commission used these survey results in its evaluation, this evaluation tool was used in conjunction with several others to evaluate Judge Shockley’s performance. All data reviewed supports the Commission’s recommendation that Judge Shockley be retained.
Governor Polis appointed Judge Shockley in January 2019. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri and his law degree from the University of Missouri Law School. Prior to his appointment he was Chief Deputy District Attorney of the Denver District Attorney’s Office. Judge Shockley has been involved in the Front Range Cycling Club and speaking to middle school, high school, college, and law students.