2020 retention · County Court · Mineral County
95 percentile · rank 2 of 37
composite 0100
98 percentile · rank 2 of 100
composite 0100
5 8th percentile among peers · 3rd percentile statewide
380
Composite index 94.14 among peers (97.00 statewide): the mean of the three percentiles below. Rank orders by it.
3.90 of 4 · 95.95 percentile
1.504.00
3.90 of 4 · 95.95 percentile
1.503.95
100.00% 90.54 percentile
0.00%100.00%
Attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 100.00%
Non-attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 100.00%
| Category | Score | Peer median | Peer range (dot is this judge, line is the median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Management | 4.00median 3.50 | 3.50 | |
| Application and Knowledge of Law | 3.80median 3.30 | 3.30 | |
| Communications | 4.00median 3.60 | 3.60 | |
| Diligence | 3.70median 3.40 | 3.40 | |
| Demeanor | 3.90median 3.50 | 3.50 | |
| Fairness | 4.00median 3.90 | 3.90 |
Commission: meets standards (7–0)
The Twelfth Judicial District Performance Commission unanimously agrees (7-0) that Judge Ruth Acheson MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
The Commission conducted a personal interview with Judge Acheson on June 9, 2020, reviewed opinions she authored, observed her in court, reviewed comments received from interested parties during the evaluation, and reviewed survey responses from attorneys and non-attorneys who had experience with Judge Acheson. Based on the Commission’s overall evaluation, Judge Acheson has demonstrated that she meets performance standards in all categories. Among those responding to Judge Acheson’s judicial performance survey, not a single respondent thought she failed to meet judicial standards: 100% of attorneys responded, yes, Judge Acheson meets performance standards and 100% of the non-attorneys agreed. Her case management, communication, and fairness all received perfect scores (4), while her demeanor (3.9), application and knowledge of law (3.8) and diligence (3.7) received near perfect scores. Her overall score (3.9) exceeds the statewide average for county court judges in Colorado (3.4). Judge Acheson’s opinions reflect her knowledge of the law and her logical and understandable communication style. Her written opinions reflect a logical conclusion for her ultimate decision and ruling. While Judge Acheson has jurisdiction over the full range of cases that may occur in county court, 93% of her cases are traffic, 2% are civil, 3% are misdemeanors, 1% are criminal, and 1% are small claims.
Comments from both attorneys and non-attorneys alike were overwhelmingly positive. Judge Acheson received high praise for her fairness, her ability to explain complex legal principles, and for her organization. Judge Acheson appears to be very concerned with treating all participants in the courtroom with respect and dignity. Judge Acheson continues to be involved in her community as an active member of the “Best Practices” team for dependency and neglect cases, as a mentor for young attorneys, and as a volunteer for the San Luis Valley’s Pro Bono Program. Furthermore, Judge Acheson continues to collaborate with the Access to Justice Committee in developing resources for adoption cases. Judge Acheson sees community involvement as a critical component of her judicial role.
Judge Acheson received a bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado and a J.D. from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law. She worked in private practice from 2004 to 2013 at her own firm, where her sole focus was child protective issues. Before that, she served as a public defender in Colorado’s 12th Judicial District. Gov. John Hickenlooper appointed Judge Acheson to the bench on August 30, 2012. Prior to her appointment, Judge Acheson served as the Town of Creede’s Municipal Judge from 2005 to 2013.
2016 retention · County Court · Mineral County
54 percentile · rank 17 of 36
composite 0100
63 percentile · rank 40 of 108
composite 0100
14 12th percentile among peers · 4th percentile statewide
5140
Composite index 57.41 among peers (64.35 statewide): the mean of the three percentiles below. Rank orders by it.
3.63 of 4 · 61.11 percentile
3.113.84
3.65 of 4 · 65.28 percentile
3.023.84
80.00% 45.83 percentile
50.00%100.00%
Attorneys
- Overall grade
- 3.70
- Say “meets standards”
- 80.00%
Non-attorneys
- Overall grade
- 3.59
- Say “meets standards”
- 89.00%
| Category | Score | Peer median | Peer range (dot is this judge, line is the median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Management | 3.72median 3.50 | 3.50 | |
| Application and Knowledge of Law | 3.49median 3.49 | 3.49 | |
| Communications | 3.80median 3.65 | 3.65 | |
| Diligence | 3.50median 3.50 | 3.50 | |
| Demeanor | 3.77median 3.62 | 3.62 | |
| Fairness | 3.61median 3.66 | 3.66 |
Commission: meets standards
The Twelfth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously recommends, with one recusal, that Judge Ruth M. Acheson BE RETAINED.
Judge Acheson was appointed to the Mineral County Court on August 30, 2012. Prior to her appointment, Judge Acheson was a solo practitioner at the Law Office of Ruth Acheson since 2004, where her focus has been in the role of Guardian ad Litem. Prior to becoming a solo practitioner, Judge Acheson was the Managing Deputy for the local Public Defender’s Office, where she had been an attorney since 1985. Judge Acheson was also the Municipal Judge for the Town of Creede from 2005 to 2013. Judge Acheson received her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Sociology from Colorado University in 1976 and her law degree from the Maurer School of Law at Indiana University, where Judge Acheson was a Wendell Willkie and AAUW Fellow, in 1981. Judge Acheson continues to be involved in her community as a member of the Twelfth Judicial District Best Practices in Child Welfare Committee, the San Luis Valley Family Treatment Court Team, and where she also worked to develop a judicial protocol to address the concerns of the Domestic Violence Offender Accountability Committee.
The Commission conducted a personal interview with Judge Acheson, observed her in court, read opinions she authored, and reviewed survey responses from attorneys and non-attorneys who had experience with Judge Acheson. Among the survey questions was “how strongly do you recommend Judge Acheson be retained in office or not retained in office?” Of attorneys completing the survey, 80% recommended retention and 20% made no recommendation regarding retention. Of non-attorneys completing the survey, 89% recommended retention and 11% made no recommendation regarding retention. None of the survey respondents recommended that Judge Acheson not be retained. A total of 5 attorneys and 9 non-attorneys completed judicial performance surveys regarding Judge Acheson.
The vast majority of cases that Judge Acheson presides over are traffic and misdemeanor criminal matters. Based on the survey results of attorneys and non-attorneys, Judge Acheson consistently received ratings which exceed the combined rating of all county court judges standing for retention. The only areas that Judge Acheson scored below the average for all county judges standing for retention was in issuing prompt decisions, giving consistent sentences, providing all parties an opportunity to be heard, and in the categories of diligence and application of the law. Of note, Judge Acheson received a perfect rating from attorneys in the areas of setting reasonable schedules for cases, providing written communications that are clear, and being willing to handle cases not on her docket. Judge Acheson received a perfect rating from both attorneys and non-attorneys in the category of treating participants with respect, and this trait was observed by the Commissioners during their courtroom observations as well. Judge Acheson is recognized for her professionalism, patience, and kindness towards those who appear in her court.