Second Judicial District - Denver County Court Judge
Honorable Barry A. Schwartz
Retention Year: 2024
Recommendation: Meets Performance Standards
Reports:
2024 Retention Survey Report (PDF)
2023 Interim Survey Report (PDF)
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The Denver County Court Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously agrees by a vote of 5-0 that Honorable Judge Barry A. Schwartz MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS. The Colorado statutory judicial performance criteria are integrity, legal knowledge, communication skills, judicial temperament, administrative performance, and service to the legal profession and the public.
Judge Schwartz has a reputation for being fair, kind and respectful. He prides himself on being well-prepared and on giving parties the opportunity to be fully heard. He shows care and concern for everyone in his courtroom, puts people at ease, and is able to see complicated situations from multiple viewpoints. He is working to ensure that his empathy for defendants does not convey favoritism, and he continues to work to improve his knowledge of criminal case law through research and consultation. He shows flexibility with virtual appearances. Outside of the courtroom, he volunteers at local law schools and high schools, speaks in classes, serves as a judge in mock trials, and participates in programs that promote civil education.
In evaluating Judge Schwartz, the commission used live, livestream and recorded courtroom observations, conducted a personal interview with the judicial officer, case management data and reviewed surveys from attorney and non-attorney courtroom participants, comments received from interested parties during the evaluation, and the judicial officer self-evaluation, with supporting documents when submitted, to inform its decision for meets/does not meet performance standards.
Judge Schwartz was appointed to the Denver County Court in 2017. He is a Denver native and earned his law degree from the University of Denver in 1988. Prior to his appointment, he served as a judicial clerk for two appellate judges and a federal magistrate and worked in private practice in complex commercial litigation in state and federal courts across the country before becoming an Assistant Federal Public Defender and then Assistant City Attorney in Denver. Presently, he presides over criminal cases. Judge Schwartz is married with two grown children and a snarly old dog.