Courtney L. Dinnel

Commission: meets standards (10–0)

The Seventeenth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously agrees by a vote of 10-0 that Judge Courtney L. Dinnel MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.

Judge Dinnel received high marks for her case management, her communication skills, and her judicial demeanor. She was found to set reasonable schedules for cases and was given high marks for her ability to identify and analyze relevant facts and to articulate the reasons for her rulings. Consistent with these qualities, Judge Dinnel was acknowledged by attorneys and non-attorneys alike for her use of language that everyone can understand; for the fact that she speaks clearly so everyone in the courtroom can understand what's being said; and for the fact that she gives reasons for a ruling when needed. Overall, Judge Dinnel was found to conduct her courtroom with dignity and to display compassion to those appearing before her. Surveys show that she gives parties an equal and fair opportunity to be heard before making her decision.

The Commission conducted and reviewed a personal interview with Judge Dinnel, reviewed opinions she authored, observed her in court, and reviewed the limited number judicial performance survey responses from attorneys and non-attorneys who had interaction in Judge Dinnel's court and who had responded to surveys. Among the survey questions was "Based on your responses to the previous questions related to this performance evaluation criteria, do you think Judge Dinnel meets judicial performance standards?" Of the responding attorneys, 80% answered “Yes” and 7% answered “No,” with 13% expressing no opinion. Of the non-attorneys responding to this survey, 100% answered “Yes”. A total of fifteen attorneys and nine non-attorneys responded.

Judge Dinnel was appointed to the Adams County Court in 2021. Judge Dinnel presides over a county court criminal docket in Brighton, Colorado, with 40% of the cases being misdemeanors, 30% traffic offenses and 30% involving felony matters. Judge Dinnel devotes time to community service by serving as a mentor in the Law School Yes We Can program which helps to guide non-traditional law school hopefuls through preparation for law school applications, law school, and into legal careers. She also judges in mock trial programs. Judge Dinnel received her undergraduate degree from the University of Nevada, Reno. She attended law school at the University of Denver - Sturm College of Law. She then served as a deputy public defender in the Brighton office from 2010 – 2019. She then entered private practice at Foster, Graham, Milstein, and Calisher, followed by forming her own law firm, Dinnel Law, LLC, where her practice focused on representing the best interest of children as a guardian ad litem and criminal defense.

State evaluation page · 2024 survey report (PDF)