Twentieth Judicial District - Boulder County Court Judge
Honorable John F. Stavely
Retention Year: 2008
Recommendation: Retain
Reports:
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The Twentieth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously recommends that Judge John F. Stavely BE RETAINED.
Background: John F. Stavely was appointed to the Boulder County Court in 2001. He had previously been in private practice for 23 years and had served as the Presiding Judge of the Louisville Municipal Court for 12 years. Judge Stavely received his law degree from the University of North Dakota in 1978. Over the past few years, Judge Stavely spearheaded an overhaul of the county court civil proceedings so litigants have better access to the court and a faster conclusion to their cases. In addition, Judge Stavely established an intern/extern program for law students to work as law clerks in Boulder County Court, and he has a strong commitment to working with new lawyers. Judge Stavely handles a wide variety of matters in Boulder County Court including criminal misdemeanors such as driving under the influence (DUI), assault including domestic violence matters, substance abuse, civil matters where the disputed amount is less than $15,000, eviction cases, name changes and other matters as assigned. Judge Stavely also conducts felony preliminary hearings and assists with District Court matters.
The recommendation that Judge Stavely be retained is based upon survey results from litigants, court staff, jurors, law enforcement, attorneys and others who have knowledge of his performance as judge, courtroom observations by Commission members, a personal interview conducted by Commission members, and a self evaluation questionnaire given to the judge.
Evaluation: Judge Stavely has gained experience during the years since his appointment and previous evaluation. He is knowledgeable about the law as noted in the high ratings he received from attorneys and non-attorneys in the survey. The Commission believes his experience and confidence allow him to demonstrate empathy for participants in the judicial process while continuing to maintain impartiality in the matters that are before him. Judge Stavely continues to enjoy his job, and he is particularly passionate about serving as a mentor to newer attorneys.
Recommendations: Survey results showed strong support for retaining Judge Stavely as a Boulder County Judge. Of the attorneys expressing a preference, 94% believed that Judge Stavely should be retained. Of non-attorneys with a preference, 96% believed that he should be retained. Judge Stavely’s overall ratings in case management, application and knowledge of the law, communications, demeanor, and diligence were higher than or equal to the average scores of all other Colorado county court judges and all judges statewide.