Opinion ID: 2640468
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: State Commission on Judicial Performance

Text: In 1966, the people of Colorado voted to amend the Colorado Constitution to require the appointment of state judges and justices according to a merit-based system. Colo. Const. art. VI, § 24. This scheme replaced what has been called a disastrous system in which judges and justices were elected on a political ticket. Hearing on HB 88-1079 Before the H. Comm. on Judiciary, 1988 Leg., 56th Sess. (Colo.1988) (statement of Frank Plaut, President, Colo. Bar Ass'n). This constitutional amendment mandates, among other directives, that judges and justices who wish to retain their offices must be approved by voters in a retention election. Colo. Const. art. VI, § 25. However, after the experience of various retention elections, the General Assembly became aware that the electorate did not always have access to sufficient information to allow them to assess judges and justices who were on the ballot for retention. Hearing on HB 88-1079 Before the H. Comm. on Judiciary, 1988 Leg., 56th Sess. (Colo.1988) (statement of Rep. Bath, Member, H. Comm. on Judiciary). In order to fill this informational void, the General Assembly enacted legislation in 1988 to evaluate judicial performance statewide by district, using uniform criteria, through the creation of Commissions on Judicial Performance for each district. § 13-5.5-101, C.R.S. (2005). In addition to the district Commissions on Judicial Performance, this legislation established a State Commission on Judicial Performance, the entity involved in this action. The State Commission oversees the district Commissions, ensures that district retention evaluations are appropriate, and evaluates performance of all statewide appellate judgesnamely, the judges of the Colorado Court of Appeals and the justices of the Colorado Supreme Court. See §§ 13-5.5-103, 106, C.R.S. (2005). The State Commission comprises ten members who are appointed by officials from all three branches of government. Id. § 102. In addition to the four appointments by the Speaker and President of the Senate, the Governor and Chief Justice of the supreme court each appoint three members, one attorney and two nonattorneys. Id. The legislative intent behind the tri-branch appointment structure was to create a nonpolitical Commission. Hearing on HB 88-1079 Before the Conference Comm., 1988 Leg., 56th Sess. (Colo.1988) (statement of Sen. Claire Traylor, Member, Sen. Comm. on Judiciary and bill sponsor). The Commission must start its work early in an election year in order to fulfill its statutory and constitutional timeframes so that its completed evaluations are accessible to the public and mailed statewide to electors thirty days before the election. This year's general election is set for November 7. See § 1-1-104(17), C.R.S. (2005). Thus, the Commission must finalize its draft evaluation and draft narrative profile of each appellate judge by approximately June 22, no later than forty-five days prior to the last day available for the appellate justice or judge to declare ... [her] intent to stand for retention. § 13-5.5-106(1)(a), C.R.S. (2005). This date, the last date available for the judge to declare an intent to stand for retention, must be no later than three months before the date of the general election, according to the Colorado Constitution article VI, section 25. In this case, that date is approximately August 7. The Commission must make the final narrative profile and recommendations available to the public by approximately September 22, no later than forty-five days before the retention election. § 13-5.5-106(1)(c), C.R.S. (2005). A summary of this narrative profile and recommendation is then printed in the ballot information booklet, which must be mailed to electors by approximately October 7, thirty days before the election. See id.; §§ 1-40-124.5, 125, C.R.S. (2005). However, in order to meet these mandatory statutory and constitutional deadlines, the Commission must begin its work well before June 22. Jane Howell, the current Staff Director of the Commission, reports by affidavit attached to the petition that five judges of the court of appeals are standing for retention in November 2006. She summarizes the work the Commission must do to perform its statutory duties in this election year to evaluate the five appellate judges. In March, the commissioners and the judges will receive the results of an independent, professional survey of each appellate judge. The surveys are confidential and solely for the benefit of the Commission. The commissioners then will meet with the Chief Judge of the court of appeals, make one unannounced visit to the courtroom, and conduct confidential interviews with the judges standing for retention. Within ten days of these interviews, the Commission will provide a draft narrative profile to the judge and/or a draft recommendation concerning retention. The evaluated judge must have an opportunity to meet with the Commission within ten days of the judge's receipt of these drafts. § 13-5.5-106(1)(a), C.R.S. (2005). Having provided a brief overview of the State Commission on Judicial Performance and its duties, we turn to an examination of the relief requested and the court's power to grant it.