Fifth Judicial District - Lake County Court Judge
Honorable Jonathan Shamis
Retention Year: 2016
Recommendation: Meets Performance Standard
Reports:
2016 Retention Survey Report (PDF)
2015 Interim Survey Report (PDF)
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The Fifth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance recommends 9-0 that Judge Jonathan Shamis BE RETAINED, with one member absent.
Judge Shamis was appointed to the Lake County Court in August, 2013. Judge Shamis received his undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago before receiving his law degree from DePaul Law School. He was a public defender in Chicago and was the Executive Director for Alpine Legal Services in Glenwood Springs before being appointed to the bench. Judge Shamis is exceptionally active in the community, volunteering his time as a board member with the Cloud City Conservation Center, United Way of the Eagle River Valley, the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Colorado and Access to Justice. Judge Shamis also enjoys community activities and operates as a professor for Colorado Mountain College.
The Commission conducted a personal interview with the Judge, reviewed opinions he wrote, observed him in court, looked at a case management report, interviewed the Public Defender, District Attorney, law enforcement and the Chief Judge, and considered surveys sent to attorneys and non-attorneys. Of attorneys completing the surveyed 85% recommended to retain, 8% not to retain, and 8% made no recommendation. Of non-attorneys completing the survey 73% recommended to retain, 13% not to retain, and 13% were undecided or didn't have enough information to make a recommendation. (These percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.)
Judge Shamis is viewed as an asset by both attorneys and non-attorneys for his performance, welcoming demeanor on the bench and overall diligence. He is perceived as being compassionate, communicative, and caring, and treats parties with respect on a consistent basis. In addition to handling traffic and misdemeanor cases and some civil matters, Judge Shamis has assisted in family law matters. Judge Shamis is also in charge of the sobriety court program in Lake County which has a goal of assisting repeat offenders by addressing their treatment needs while also keeping the community safe. Judge Shamis recognizes areas for improvement and demonstrates a willingness to engage in various trainings and utilize resources. Overall, he received high survey marks and favorable comments regarding his level of attentiveness and compassion for others.