Wenner, Lynette 2018 Evaluation

Reports:
2018 Retention Survey Report
2017 Interim Survey Report

The Eleventh Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously (9-0) agrees that Judge Lynette Mary Wenner MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS. One member of the commission abstained from voting.

Judge Wenner was appointed to the bench in July 2015. Judge Wenner graduated from Dowling College in 1976. She received her Master’s in education from the University of Arizona in 1977 as well as an Educational Specialist Degree in Administration from the University of Minnesota in 1983. She graduated from Stetson University College of Law in 1989. Judge Wenner was a partner in private practice in Canon City from 1998-2015.

The Commission conducted a personal interview with Judge Wenner, reviewed opinions she authored, observed her in court, reviewed comments received from interested parties during the evaluation, and reviewed surveys sent to attorneys and non-attorneys who had experience with Judge Wenner. Among the survey questions was "based on your responses to the previous questions related to the performance evaluation criteria, do you think Judge Wenner meets judicial performance standards?" Of the attorneys responding to the survey, 71% answered, yes, meets performance standards, 21% answered no, does not meet performance standards, and 7% had no opinion regarding whether Judge Wenner meets or does not meet performance standards. Of non-attorneys responding to the survey, 76% answered, yes, meets performance standards, 13% answered no, does not meet performance standards, and 11% had no opinion regarding whether Judge Wenner meets or does not meet performance standards. (These percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.)  A total of fourteen attorneys and forty-five non-attorneys responded to the judicial performance surveys expressing their opinion of Judge Wenner’s performance.

Judge Wenner presides over criminal, civil, domestic relations, and probate matters in her courtroom. Judge Wenner's overall performance rated by non-attorneys responding to the surveys was consistent with the combined rating of all district judges standing for retention. Judge Wenner received high marks for setting reasonable schedules for her cases. Judge Wenner’s calm and respectful demeanor in the courtroom was observed by the Commission during their observations, and she received positive comments for being a fair-minded and a personable Judge. Judge Wenner exemplifies patience when dealing with parties who have special needs. Her decisions are well-reasoned and thoughtful. Judge Wenner’s application and knowledge of the law rated above the combined scores of all district judges standing for retention. Judge Wenner’s docket saw a significant increase in criminal filings the year after she took the bench, which may contribute to her lower ratings in issuing timely rulings. Judge Wenner is aware of timeliness issues and continues to improve in that area. Based on these findings the Commission unanimously agreed that Judge Wenner meets performance standards.