Fourth Judicial District - El Paso County Court Judge
Honorable Daniel S. Wilson
Retention Year: 2016
Recommendation: Meets Performance Standard
Reports:
2016 Retention Survey Report (PDF)
2015 Interim Survey Report (PDF)
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The Fourth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance in a 7-3 vote, recommends that Judge Daniel S. Wilson BE RETAINED.
Judge Wilson has served on the County Court bench since 2002. Prior to his appointment, he worked in private practice for four years and in the DA's office for almost eight years. Judge Wilson graduated from the law school at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, in 1989 and from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, in 1982. Judge Wilson has served on Teen Court, and otherwise engages in various community activities with his family.
The Commission conducted a personal interview with Judge Wilson, reviewed his self-evaluation and written opinions, observed him in the courtroom and reviewed survey results from attorneys and non-attorneys. 72% of the attorneys who completed the survey recommended that Judge Wilson be retained. 76% of non-attorneys who completed the survey recommended Judge Wilson be retained. Attorneys rated Judge Wilson somewhat lower than the average for other County Court Judges standing for retention on case management and average or slightly lower than average on application and knowledge of the law, communications and diligence. Non-attorneys also rated Judge Wilson slightly below the average for other County Court Judges standing for retention in the areas assessed.
Judge Wilson states that he enjoys doing his own research on cases. He provided the Commission with a number of well written opinions. Judge Wilson has at times been criticized for his particularly careful scrutiny of warrants he is asked to issue. However, the Commission sees Judge Wilson’s caution as strength because it fulfills the appropriate and important judicial obligation to make sure that warrants comply with Constitutional requirements. In the courtroom, Judge Wilson was observed to move through cases quickly and with apparent efficiency. He took time to see that defendants understand the proceedings. There was concern expressed by members of the Commission regarding Judge Wilson’s relatively low survey scores. Accordingly, while Commission recommends the retention of Judge Wilson as a County Court Judge, it also recommends that Judge Wilson participate in a performance improvement plan.