Twenty-First Judicial District - Mesa County Court Judge
Honorable Arthur R. Smith Jr.
Retention Year: 2002
Recommendation: Retain
Reports:
The Twenty-First Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance recommends that Judge Arthur R. Smith, Jr. BE RETAINED.
Judge Smith is an experienced, efficient County Judge who heard approximately 7,100 cases in 2001, the majority of which were traffic and misdemeanor cases.
Both attorneys and non-attorneys rate Judge Smith as above average for all county judges on treating parties equally regardless of race, gender, age and socio-economic status. He is considered a fair and impartial judge to both sides of cases before him.
Judge Smith enjoys carrying out his responsibilities, telling the Commission that in 19 years on the bench there never has been a day when he did not look forward to coming to work. Judge Smith is aware he needs to articulate more clearly his verbal rulings and orders, and that is a goal he has set for himself.
Of the attorneys and non-attorneys surveyed who appeared before Judge Smith, 86% and 84% respectively recommended Judge Smith be retained in office.