Fourth Judicial District - Teller County Court Judge
Honorable Jackson L. Peters Jr.
Retention Year: 2004
Recommendation: Retain
Reports:
The Fourth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance recommends that Judge Jackson L. Peters, Jr. BE RETAINED, with a vote of nine to zero.
Judge Peters was appointed to the Teller County Court in August, 1989. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Peters was staff attorney for Pikes Peak Legal Services, specializing in landlord/tenant, consumer law and civil rights. Judge Peters received his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Journalism from Southern Methodist University in 1973, and received his Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1978. In between college and law school, he worked for two years as a reporter. Judge Peters presently hears criminal, civil, traffic, domestic relations, and juvenile cases.
The Commission reviewed written evaluations of Judge Peters from attorneys and non-attorneys, including written verbatim comments attached to the evaluation questionnaires. The Commission also considered Judge Peters' self-evaluation, conducted a personal interview, and a courtroom observation. Judge Peters received high mark in practically all categories. Attorneys voted for retention was 74% and 3% not retained. Non-attorneys recommended retention by 71% and 15% not retain.
In the past two to three years, Judge Peters has been fulfilling his County Court duties in four days per week, while assisting in District Court on Fridays. Judge Peters works at explaining his decisions for all to understand. He is patient with first time defendants to help them understand the process, and has great compassion for children. Judge Peters encourages settlement on civil cases and traffic cases.
Judge Peters enjoys outside activities and also volunteers through his Church to a non-profit group called ‘In The Lord's Service.’ He is currently on the Board of North Teller County Build-A-Generation, a non-profit organization seeking to develop risk-prevention focused programs for juveniles. He is very focused on his family because his children are young and he wants to be there for them.