Eighth Judicial District - Larimer County Court Judge
Honorable Thomas L. Lynch
Retention Year: 2022
Recommendation: Meets Performance Standard
The Eighth Judicial District Judicial Performance Commission on votes 7-3 that Judge Thomas L. Lynch 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 Lynch presides over criminal, misdemeanor, traffic, civil, and small claims cases. Judge Lynch is known as a respectful, patient, and kind judge. He communicates well and is generally perceived to be fair. Over this past term, Judge Lynch successfully addressed concerns regarding long wait times experienced in his courtroom by restructuring his docket. The Commission encourages Judge Lynch to continue to work on improving efficiency in managing his dockets and issuing rulings. Concerns have been raised about Judge Lynch’s demeanor outside the courtroom, which has been described as inflexible, especially when other organizations approach him with suggestions for modifying courtroom processes. The Commission encourages Judge Lynch to be more open-minded to change and allow for flexibility when warranted. The Commission recognizes that Judge Lynch has shown initiative to implement beneficial programs in his courtroom.
The Commission conducted a personal interview with Judge Lynch, reviewed opinions he authored, observed him in court, and reviewed judicial performance survey responses from attorneys and non-attorneys who appeared in Judge Lynch’s courtroom. The Commission also met with representatives of the District Attorney’s Office and the Office of the Public Defender. A total of sixty-three individuals, thirty attorneys and thirty-three non-attorneys, believed they had sufficient knowledge to express their opinion of Judge Lynch. When asked whether Judge Lynch meets performance standards: Of the attorneys responding to the survey, 88% answered yes, 8% answered no, and 4% had no opinion. Of the non-attorneys responding to the survey, 89% answered yes, 7% answered no, and 4% had no opinion. Judge Lynch received particularly high ratings in the areas of demeanor and fairness.
Judge Lynch was appointed as a County Court Judge in the 8th Judicial District in December of 2010. Judge Lynch received his undergraduate degree and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Wyoming. Prior to his appointment, Judge Lynch worked as a Deputy District Attorney in the 8th Judicial District.