Michelle Chostner
District Court · 10th Judicial District · retention evaluations: 2026
2026 retention · District Court · 10th Judicial District
83 percentile · rank 11 of 65
composite 0100
82 percentile · rank 19 of 108
composite 0100
31 74th percentile among peers · 77th percentile statewide
1054
Composite index 77.18 among peers (75.46 statewide): the mean of the three percentiles below. Rank orders by it.
3.50 of 4 · 83.85 percentile
2.103.80
3.52 of 4 · 83.85 percentile
2.073.82
92.00% 63.85 percentile
25.00%100.00%
Attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 92.00%
Non-attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 83.00%
| Category | Score | Peer median | Peer range (dot is this judge, line is the median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Management | 3.50median 3.20 | 3.20 | |
| Application and Knowledge of Law | 3.50median 3.10 | 3.10 | |
| Communications | 3.60median 3.30 | 3.30 | |
| Diligence | 3.50median 3.10 | 3.10 | |
| Demeanor | 3.50median 3.30 | 3.30 | |
| Fairness | 3.50median 3.10 | 3.10 |
| Year | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Grade | 3.10 | 3.00 |
| Responses | 14 | 28 |
Commission: meets standards (10–0)
The Tenth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously agrees by a vote of 10-0 that Judge Michelle Chostner MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
Judge Chostner presides over a domestic relations docket and district court civil docket for the Tenth Judicial District. She is well prepared for cases before her bench. The orders she issues are well researched and thorough, though they are sometimes very long and would benefit from being more concise to encourage understanding. Her demeanor as a judge is calm and respectful; she strives to treat all court participants equally, bringing a sense of dignity to proceedings before her.
To evaluate Judge Chostner's performance, the Commission reviewed judicial performance data, written orders, surveys including comments from attorneys and non-attorneys, and a self-evaluation completed by Judge Chostner. The Commission also conducted in-court observations of the judge and personally interviewed her after compiling all other information. Judge Chostner appreciates the need for continued education and growth in her role as a judicial officer. She regularly conducts legal research, stays up-to-date on new laws, and she attends trainings in the areas of law she presides over. She also teaches courses in the law, and she serves on the judicial education subcommittee. Judge Chostner clearly cares about communicating the legal process to those not represented by attorneys, though some members of the commission are concerned that she may over-explain the process to ensure understanding and fairness which delays the proceedings unnecessarily.
Judge Michelle Chostner was appointed to the Pueblo County District Court bench in March of 2023. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder, in 2004, graduating summa cum laude, and her law degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 2008. After graduating law school, Judge Chostner worked at the Adams, Arapahoe, and Pueblo District Attorney’s Offices, where she was promoted to the role Senior Deputy District Attorney. In 2021, Judge Chostner was appointed as a Magistrate in Pueblo, where she handled truancy, civil, and probate matters. Judge Chostner enjoys spending time with her family and volunteering on various community boards, including the library board, and assisting with mock trial events.