2024 retention · County Court · Larimer County
24 percentile · rank 36 of 47
composite 0100
26 percentile · rank 79 of 107
composite 0100
33 67th percentile among peers · 46th percentile statewide
671
Composite index 31.91 among peers (33.02 statewide): the mean of the three percentiles below. Rank orders by it.
3.20 of 4 · 36.17 percentile
2.103.80
3.25 of 4 · 47.87 percentile
2.173.75
60.00% 11.70 percentile
27.00%100.00%
Attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 60.00%
Non-attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 77.00%
| Category | Score | Peer median | Peer range (dot is this judge, line is the median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Management | 3.30median 3.30 | 3.30 | |
| Application and Knowledge of Law | 3.10median 3.10 | 3.10 | |
| Communications | 3.30median 3.30 | 3.30 | |
| Diligence | 3.60median 3.30 | 3.30 | |
| Demeanor | 3.10median 3.30 | 3.30 | |
| Fairness | 3.10median 3.20 | 3.20 |
Commission: meets standards (10–0)
The Eighth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance, by a vote of 10-0, agrees that Judge Kraig Ecton MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
Judge Ecton’s docket consists of a mix of civil cases, criminal cases, misdemeanor cases, traffic cases, mental health, and small claims matters. Judge Ecton runs an efficient courtroom. He is calm and treats individuals appearing before him with respect and fairness. Judge Ecton is prepared for his court proceedings and is well-versed in the law. The Commission was impressed with Judge Ecton’s thoughtful and self-reflective analysis of his performance and willingness to incorporate appropriate feedback. It is clear to the Commission that he takes his role seriously and approaches it with humility. He listens to the parties appearing in his courtroom before rendering his decision. Some concerns have been raised about Judge Ecton’s use of virtual appearances. Judge Ecton thoroughly explained his reasoning, and the Commission accepts that his rationale is intended to preserve the integrity of court proceedings. Judge Ecton is to be commended for participating in Larimer County’s weekend warrant clearance events. The Commission concludes that Judge Ecton remains a positive, motivated, and caring judge who meets judicial performance standards.
The Commission personally interviewed Judge Ecton, observed him in court (both in person and virtually), analyzed judicial performance survey data, reviewed a sample of written orders, considered written comments from attorneys and non-attorneys, and reviewed his self-evaluation. In addition, the Commission received comments from representatives of the District Attorney’s Office and the Public Defender’s Office. A total of 32 individuals, 10 attorneys and 22 non-attorneys, believed they had sufficient knowledge to assess whether Judge Ecton meets performance standards. When asked whether Judge Ecton meets performance standards: Of the attorneys responding to the survey, six answered yes, three answered no, and one expressed no opinion. Of the non-attorneys responding to the survey, 17 answered yes, three answered no, and two expressed no opinion. His overall performance score based on a total of 33 responses is 3.2 out of 4 for all performance categories combined (case management, application and knowledge of law, communications, diligence, demeanor, and fairness). Given significantly low response rates to the surveys overall, the Commission gave the appropriate weight to the survey responses in its evaluation.
Judge Ecton was appointed to the Larimer County Court in January of 2014. Prior to being appointed to the bench, Judge Ecton served as a Deputy District Attorney for Larimer County and an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Fort Collins. Judge Ecton received his undergraduate degree in mathematics from Colorado College, his master’s degree in business administration from Colorado State University, and his law degree from the University of Colorado.
2020 retention · County Court · Larimer County
22 percentile · rank 29 of 37
composite 0100
23 percentile · rank 77 of 100
composite 0100
34 62nd percentile among peers · 53rd percentile statewide
380
Composite index 32.88 among peers (30.50 statewide): the mean of the three percentiles below. Rank orders by it.
3.30 of 4 · 29.73 percentile
1.504.00
3.20 of 4 · 16.22 percentile
1.503.95
86.00% 52.70 percentile
0.00%100.00%
Attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 86.00%
Non-attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 75.00%
| Category | Score | Peer median | Peer range (dot is this judge, line is the median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Management | 3.50median 3.50 | 3.50 | |
| Application and Knowledge of Law | 3.20median 3.30 | 3.30 | |
| Communications | 3.50median 3.60 | 3.60 | |
| Diligence | 3.20median 3.40 | 3.40 | |
| Demeanor | 3.20median 3.50 | 3.50 | |
| Fairness | 2.60median 3.90 | 3.90 |
Commission: meets standards (10–0)
The Eighth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously agrees by a vote of 10-0 that the Honorable Kraig Ecton MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
Judge Ecton primarily presides over criminal, civil, and traffic cases. Judge Ecton is diligent, efficient, and respectful. He takes time to ensure that parties are heard and explains court proceedings clearly to self-represented parties. Judge Ecton is prepared for his court proceedings, well-versed in the law, and drafts well-researched written orders. The Commission was impressed with Judge Ecton’s thoughtful and self-reflective analysis of his performance. He has taken many proactive steps to improve his skills as a judge, including reflecting on his procedures and consulting with other judges throughout the state. Certain attorneys have noted that Judge Ecton moves cases too quickly through the process. When the Commission asked Judge Ecton about this critique, he thoroughly explained his rationale for managing his docket, which allows matters to be resolved faster and maintains flexibility.
The Commission conducted a personal interview with Judge Ecton, reviewed opinions he authored, observed him in court, and reviewed judicial performance survey responses from attorneys and non-attorneys who appeared in Judge Ecton’s courtroom. A total of thirty-four individuals, thirty attorneys and four non-attorneys, believed they had sufficient knowledge to express their opinion of Judge Ecton. When asked whether Judge Ecton meets performance standards: Of the attorneys responding to the survey, 86% answered yes; 14% answered no; and 0% had no opinion. Of the non-attorneys responding to the survey, 75% answered yes; and 25% answered no. The small number of non-attorney responses makes this percentage difficult to consider as a reliable measure. It should be noted that for the retention cycle in 2020, different methods for non-attorney survey distribution and collection were utilized statewide on a trial basis. This transition may account for the low response rate from non-attorneys. Judge Ecton received ratings similar to the statewide average among all county court judges standing for retention with regard to the following areas surveyed: Case Management, Application and Knowledge of Law, Communications, Diligence, and Demeanor.
Judge Ecton was appointed to the County Court bench in 2014. Judge Ecton received his undergraduate degree in Mathematics from Colorado College, his master’s degree in Business Administration from Colorado State University, and his law degree from the University of Colorado. Prior to being appointed to the bench, Judge Ecton served as a Deputy District Attorney for Larimer County and an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Fort Collins.
2016 retention · County Court · Larimer County
23 percentile · rank 28 of 36
composite 0100
28 percentile · rank 78 of 108
composite 0100
94 69th percentile among peers · 65th percentile statewide
5140
Composite index 27.78 among peers (30.86 statewide): the mean of the three percentiles below. Rank orders by it.
3.49 of 4 · 41.67 percentile
3.113.84
3.38 of 4 · 29.17 percentile
3.023.84
62.00% 12.50 percentile
50.00%100.00%
Attorneys
- Overall grade
- 3.10
- Say “meets standards”
- 62.00%
Non-attorneys
- Overall grade
- 3.66
- Say “meets standards”
- 91.00%
| Category | Score | Peer median | Peer range (dot is this judge, line is the median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Management | 3.19median 3.50 | 3.50 | |
| Application and Knowledge of Law | 3.21median 3.49 | 3.49 | |
| Communications | 3.55median 3.65 | 3.65 | |
| Diligence | 3.39median 3.50 | 3.50 | |
| Demeanor | 3.31median 3.62 | 3.62 | |
| Fairness | 3.66median 3.66 | 3.66 |
Commission: meets standards (10–0)
The Eighth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously (10-0) recommends that Judge Kraig Ecton BE RETAINED.
Judge Ecton was appointed to the Larimer County Court in January of 2014. As a Larimer County Court Judge, he presides over criminal, traffic, and civil cases, including small claims. Prior to being appointed to the bench, Judge Ecton served as a Deputy District Attorney for Larimer County and Assistant City Attorney for Fort Collins. Judge Ecton received his undergraduate degree from Colorado College, his master’s degree in Business Administration from Colorado State University and his law degree from the University of Colorado.
The Commission conducted a personal interview with Judge Ecton, reviewed opinions he authored, observed him 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 Ecton. The survey asked “How strongly do you recommend that Judge Ecton be retained in office?” Of the attorneys and non-attorneys completing the survey, 82% of the combined groups recommended retention. Of the attorneys responding, 62% recommended retention, 35% recommended non-retention, and 4% made no recommendation. Of the non-attorneys responding, 91% recommended retention, 10% recommended non-retention, and 0% made no recommendation. A total of 27 attorneys and 67 non-attorneys completed the judicial performance survey regarding Judge Ecton. (These percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.)
Survey respondents described Judge Ecton as even-tempered, well-reasoned, and fair. Other respondents commented that Judge Ecton struggled with case management and was too soft spoken, making him difficult to hear. With respect to grades in specific subject areas, including case management and diligence, Judge Ecton scored slightly lower than other county judges, but still mostly in the “3” range (out of a total of 4). Although his scores may be lower in certain areas, Judge Ecton’s in-person interview was superior. During the interview, Judge Ecton addressed all of the concerns of the Commission with a view towards improvement. He presented himself as self-reflective, hard-working, and sincere. Judge Ecton described his efforts to continue expanding his legal knowledge base using multiple resources. Judge Ecton demonstrated tremendous insight during the interview as reflected in his statement, “My best is not quite good enough yet.” The Commission was very impressed with Judge Ecton’s thoughtful responses to interview questions and his willingness to work on improvement in certain areas. Judge Ecton is relatively new on the bench and with additional time and experience will likely develop into a very successful judicial officer.