Ninth Judicial District - District Court Judge
Honorable John Fowler Neiley
Retention Year: 2022
Recommendation: Meets Performance Standard
The Ninth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously agrees by a vote of 10-0 that the Honorable John Fowler Neiley 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 Neiley consistently receives high praise for his excellent judicial temperament, patience, impartiality, and integrity. His strong work ethic and leadership skills are displayed through his attention to detail, preparation, and thoroughness. His fair and thoughtful rulings demonstrate his extensive knowledge of the law. Despite the challenges the judiciary faced during COVID Judge Neiley received high marks for case management and administrative performance. He was described as a superb judge and consummate professional. Th 9th Judicial District is fortunate to have him.
In evaluating Judge Neiley’s performance, the commission observed him in court and conducted interviews with the public defender, the district attorney, and the chief judge for the 9th Judicial District. The commission conducted a personal interview with Judge Neiley, reviewed opinions he authored as well as a self-evaluation. The commission also reviewed surveys from 2021 filled out by attorneys, non-attorneys (such as jurors and litigants), and court personnel; a self-evaluation completed by the judge; and performance statistics relating to his docket management.
Judge Neiley was appointed to the Ninth Judicial District as a District Court Judge in 2013. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado in 1981 and a J.D. from the University of Colorado School of Law in 1987. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Neiley had a civil litigation and real estate/land use practice in Glenwood Springs. Additional law experience includes medical malpractice defense, insurance defense, enforcement of Federal Trade Commission consumer protection laws and enforcement of antitrust laws. Judge Neiley was the 2015 Judicial Office of the Year Nominee and a graduate of the Colorado Judicial Executive Leadership Program. He is the District Representative of the Colorado Judicial Wellbeing Committee, and a member of both the Alpine Legal Services Strategic Planning Committee and Greater Colorado Law Student Experience Program. Judge Neiley also volunteers his time as a Tournament Director and Coach of the Colorado High School Mock Trial, as a member of the Roaring Fork Conservancy and Trout Unlimited, and volunteers for the Carbondale Community Bike Program and Roaring Fork Outdoors.