Fourth Judicial District - El Paso County Court Judge
Honorable Jackson L. Peters, Jr.
Retention Year: 2008
Recommendation: Retain
Reports:
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The Fourth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance recommends by a unanimous vote that Judge Jackson L. Peters Jr. BE RETAINED.
Background: Judge Peters was appointed to the County Court for Teller County in August 1989. He is a 1969 graduate of Coral Gables Senior High School, in Coral Gables, Florida, and attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, where received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Journalism in 1973. Judge Peters went on to attend the University of Georgia School of Law, where he received his JD in 1978.
Before his appointment to the bench, Judge Peters was a staff attorney with Pikes Peak Legal Services. Judge Peters has been extremely active in the judicial process and the community in Teller County, making many efforts to improve judicial efficiency, while at the same time working to reduce social and criminal problems in Teller County. He helped develop a Court sponsored Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) program, and is working to create a similar program in El Paso County. Judge Peters, along with other civic leaders, participated in the development of the Teller County Methamphetamine Task Force. This group developed a model program of drug education which actively seeks to reduce drug activity through education. Judge Peters also helped develop a Teller County Drug Court, a program open to first time felony drug users who have not committed a violent crime, and a DUI Court intended to deal with repeat DUI offenders. Judge Peters’ docket includes civil, criminal and traffic cases.
Strengths: Judge Peters brings tremendous experience to the County Court bench and the issues with which County Court Judges regularly deal. The responses from attorneys responding to surveys indicate a satisfaction with his judicial abilities well above his peers. His non-attorney surveys repeatedly cited is strong knowledge of the law and his compassion. His community
involvement has extended his contributions beyond his presence on the bench.
Weaknesses: Judge Peters is seen as hard on DUI offenders, by both attorneys and non-attorneys. Some non-attorney respondents indicated intolerance for lack of timeliness by defendants and litigants.
Recommendation: In making its recommendation, the Commission considered the results of surveys from 46 attorney and 171 non-attorneys, Judge Peters’ own self evaluation, submitted written opinions and courtroom observations by Commission members, along with the judicial interview conducted by the Commission. Judge Peters was recommended for retention by 96% of the attorneys and 78% of the non-attorneys.