Thirteenth Judicial District - Washington County Court Judge
Honorable Kelly S. Hansen
Retention Year: 2022
Recommendation: Meets Performance Standard
Reports:
2022 Retention Survey Report (PDF)
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The Thirteenth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously agrees (8-0, with one member absent and one vacancy) that Judge Kelly S. Hansen 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 Hansen has been serving as the Washington County Court Judge since the fall of 2016. This is a part-time (20%) position. Judge Hansen’s County Court docket consists primarily of traffic, civil, and misdemeanor cases, and a limited number of some small claims matters. Judge Hansen has a “no-nonsense” temperament and a straightforward and direct communication style. She manages the docket efficiently, keeping proceedings moving in an expeditious manner. Most of the individuals who appear before Judge Hansen do so without an attorney. Judge Hansen effectively communicates with these individuals in a way that ensures that they understand the process and proceedings, while still keeping things moving. Judge Hansen exhibits confidence in this role and a mastery of the relevant law and procedures.
The Commission conducted a personal interview with Judge Hansen, reviewed a sampling of her written rulings, observed her in court, and reviewed comments and responses from a survey of individuals familiar with Judge Hansen. Of those who completed the survey, only 4 attorney and 4 non-attorney respondents indicated that they had worked with Judge Hansen enough to evaluate her performance. The Commission placed limited weight upon the survey results due to the small number of respondents. With that said, Judge Hansen scored significantly higher than the statewide average for all County Court judges in almost every category assessed. This is consistent with the Commission’s observations of Judge Hansen’s performance. Based upon the Commission’s overall evaluation, Judge Hansen has demonstrated that she meets or exceeds performance standards in all categories (integrity, legal knowledge, communication skills, judicial temperament, administrative performance, and service to the legal profession and public).
Judge Hansen is a 5th generation resident of Washington County. She was raised in Akron and has lived in Washington County for the majority of her life. She lives in Akron with her husband and 2 sons. She has been practicing law in Akron since 2004. As a part-time judge, she continues to operate a full-time, private practice, where she handles real estate, estate planning, probate, and business matters. Over the years, she has served Akron and surrounding communities as follows: Stratton Municipal Court Judge; Stratton Town Attorney; Otis Town Attorney; Deputy District Attorney for the 13th Judicial District; Yuma City Attorney and Municipal Prosecutor; Akron Municipal Court Judge; Fort Morgan Municipal Court Deputy Judge; Sterling Alternate Municipal Judge; and Wray Municipal Court Judge. Judge Hansen earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science in 2000 from Colorado State University, where she graduated cum laude and was a member of the Honors Program. In December of 2002, she earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Denver College of Law, where she was Staff Editor of the University of Denver Law Review and a Marshall in Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity.