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Shuteran, Sharon 1998 Evaluation

Eighth Judicial District - San Miguel County Court Judge

Honorable Sharon Shuteran

Retention Year: 1998
Recommendation: Retain

The Seventh Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance recommends that Judge Sharon Shuteran BE RETAINED.

Judge Shuteran was appointed to the San Miguel County Court September 1, 1984 and has served continuously in that position since that time. Prior to her appointment Judge Shuteran was a Deputy District Attorney specializing in criminal law.

Judge Shuteran's court load is about 2/3 criminal and 1/3 civil. She hears few juvenile or domestic relation cases.

The Commission's evaluation was based upon an interview with Judge Shuteran, her own self-evaluation, and a review of responses to questionnaires about her performance received from attorneys, court employees, jurors and people who appeared before Judge Shuteran as litigants. Two-thirds of the eighteen attorneys responding to the questionnaire recommended that Judge Shuteran be retained, nearly 90% of the court employees responding to the questionnaire recommended that Judge Shuteran be retained. Fifteen people who had been jurors in Judge Shuteran's court responded. Of that number, 86.7% recommended that she be retained. Only two people who had appeared before Judge Shuteran as litigants responded, a number too small to provide a valid sample, therefore their comments are not included in this summary. No responses were received from law enforcement officers.

Respondents gave Judge Shuteran very favorable comments when asked about her fairness towards people who appeared before her regardless of age, gender, or race, her fairness to both sides in a lawsuit, and her efforts to ensure that the rights of people appearing without an attorney were protected. She received less favorable comments from attorneys and court employees when asked about her fairness towards people regardless of socio-economic status and whether she was free from arrogance. Jurors however gave her very high marks for fairness regardless of socio-economic status and for being free from arrogance.

Judge Shuteran herself feels that her greatest strengths are her communication skills, her willingness to listen to people, and her understanding of the law. She believes people leave her courtroom feeling that they have been treated fairly and respectfully.

The Seventh Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance recommends that Judge Sharon Shuteran be retained.