Twenty-First Judicial District - District Court Judge
Honorable Valerie Jo Robison
Retention Year: 2022
Recommendation: Meets Performance Standard
The Twenty-First Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance finds that the Honorable Judge Valerie Jo Robison MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS, by a unanimous vote of 9 - 0
Judge Robison is known for her calm and professional demeanor on the bench. In her judicial performance survey conducted by the State Judicial Department, 84% of attorneys and 87% of non-attorneys found that Judge Robison met performance standards. The Judicial Performance Commission assessed the integrity, legal knowledge, communication skills, judicial temperament, administrative performance, and service to the legal profession and the public. Judge Robison received solid scores in all these areas with communications, demeanor and fairness being her top assets. Comments offered in the judicial performance survey of Judge Robison indicate a consistent theme of exemplary communication, with one comment stating, “Judge Robison has a great judicial temperament.” In her interview with the Performance Commission, Judge Robison discussed her passion for learning and a desire to serve on other courts, which is testament to her desire to improve her practice and be the best Judge she can for the people she serves.
In addition to reviewing the survey results from individuals that are in Judge Robison’s courtroom, the Performance Commission observed her courtroom, reviewed some of her authored orders, and interviewed the Chief Judge of the 21st Judicial District, representatives from the District Attorney’s office and the Public Defender’s office. Judge Robison was observed to be kind, knowledgeable, patient, and treated those before her with respect and dignity. In Judge Robison’s self-evaluation, she notes that she tries to use plain language and speak in a manner that individuals can understand what is happening, and that was evident in the observations conducted by judicial commissioners conducting this judicial performance review.
Judge Robison was the Mesa County Attorney and Interim Executive Director for the Mesa County Department of Human Services and was appointed to the 21st Judiciary Court on June 15, 2007. Judge Robison has a primarily criminal docket followed by domestic relations and civil cases. The Judicial Commissioners noted that Judge Robison volunteers in many types of community outreach and programming, working tirelessly in both her courtroom and in the community. The Twenty-First Judicial Performance Commission is honored to have Judge Robison serve in Mesa County.