Kelly S. Hansen

Commission: meets standards (7–0)

The Thirteenth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance finds that the Honorable Kelly S. Hansen MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS. The Commission voted 7-0 Judge Hansen meets performance standards. Two of the members of the commission were not present for the voting and the commission has one vacancy.

After meeting with Judge Hansen, and after reviewing the work Judge Hansen has done over the last four years, the commission unanimously agreed that Judge Hansen meets performance standards. There were inadequate survey responses for Judge Hansen, therefore the commission was forced to rely on judicial observation, the submissions by Judge Hansen, the meeting with Chief Judge and the interview to make their decision. Judge Hansen effectively applies the law and is studious to stay up to date on any changes in the legislature. Judge Hansen treats people fairly in her courtroom and is dedicated to making sure her courtroom is efficient. Judge Hansen is a part-time judge in Washington County; she manages her judicial duties while also maintaining a private practice. Based on all of the aforementioned considerations, the Judicial Performance Commission recommends that Judge Hansen meets performance standards.

The Commission conducted a personal interview with Judge Hansen, reviewed the opinions she authored, observed her in court, and reviewed comments from interested parties during the evaluation. As previously mentioned, there were not enough survey responses for the Commission to review them. Judge Hansen is educated about this process and strives to be successful on the bench. The Commission addressed minimal concerns with Judge Hansen, Judge Hansen is dedicated to serving the citizens of Washington County. The Commission believes Judge Hansen will continue to strive for excellence while she is on the bench.

Judge Hansen is a 5th generation resident of Washington County. She was born and raised in Washington County. Judge Hansen lives in Akron with her husband and 2 sons. In 2004, she began practicing law in Akron. In 2011, she started her own law practice, Hansen Law LLC. Over the years, she has served the surrounding communities as follows: Stratton Municipal Court Judge; Stratton Town Attorney; Otis Town Attorney; Deputy District Attorney for the 13th Judicial District; Yuma City Attorney and Municipal Prosecutor; Akron Municipal Court Judge; Fort Morgan Municipal Court Deputy Judge; Sterling Alternate Municipal Judge; and Wray Municipal Court Judge. In 2016, she was appointed by Governor Hickenlooper to serve as the Washington County Court Judge. Judge Hansen continues to practice law full-time in Akron in the areas of real estate, estate planning, probate, business entities, and other miscellaneous areas. Judge Hansen enjoys waterskiing, sailing, reading, watching her sons in their many extracurricular activities, and spending time with family.

State evaluation page

Commission: meets standards (8–0)

The Thirteenth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously agrees (8-0, with one member absent and one vacancy) that Judge Kelly S. Hansen MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS. The Colorado statutory judicial performance standards are integrity, legal knowledge, communication skills, judicial temperament, administrative performance, and service to the legal profession and the public.

Judge Hansen has been serving as the Washington County Court Judge since the fall of 2016. This is a part-time (20%) position. Judge Hansen’s County Court docket consists primarily of traffic, civil, and misdemeanor cases, and a limited number of some small claims matters. Judge Hansen has a “no-nonsense” temperament and a straightforward and direct communication style. She manages the docket efficiently, keeping proceedings moving in an expeditious manner. Most of the individuals who appear before Judge Hansen do so without an attorney. Judge Hansen effectively communicates with these individuals in a way that ensures that they understand the process and proceedings, while still keeping things moving. Judge Hansen exhibits confidence in this role and a mastery of the relevant law and procedures.

The Commission conducted a personal interview with Judge Hansen, reviewed a sampling of her written rulings, observed her in court, and reviewed comments and responses from a survey of individuals familiar with Judge Hansen. Of those who completed the survey, only 4 attorney and 4 non-attorney respondents indicated that they had worked with Judge Hansen enough to evaluate her performance. The Commission placed limited weight upon the survey results due to the small number of respondents. With that said, Judge Hansen scored significantly higher than the statewide average for all County Court judges in almost every category assessed. This is consistent with the Commission’s observations of Judge Hansen’s performance. Based upon the Commission’s overall evaluation, Judge Hansen has demonstrated that she meets or exceeds performance standards in all categories (integrity, legal knowledge, communication skills, judicial temperament, administrative performance, and service to the legal profession and public).

Judge Hansen is a 5 th generation resident of Washington County. She was raised in Akron and has lived in Washington County for the majority of her life. She lives in Akron with her husband and 2 sons. She has been practicing law in Akron since 2004. As a part-time judge, she continues to operate a full-time, private practice, where she handles real estate, estate planning, probate, and business matters. Over the years, she has served Akron and surrounding communities as follows: Stratton Municipal Court Judge; Stratton Town Attorney; Otis Town Attorney; Deputy District Attorney for the 13th Judicial District; Yuma City Attorney and Municipal Prosecutor; Akron Municipal Court Judge; Fort Morgan Municipal Court Deputy Judge; Sterling Alternate Municipal Judge; and Wray Municipal Court Judge. Judge Hansen earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science in 2000 from Colorado State University, where she graduated cum laude and was a member of the Honors Program. In December of 2002, she earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Denver College of Law, where she was Staff Editor of the University of Denver Law Review and a Marshall in Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity.

State evaluation page · 2022 survey report (PDF)

Commission: meets standards (8–0)

The Thirteenth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously agrees (8-0, with two members absent) that Judge Kelly S. Hansen MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.

Judge Hansen was appointed Washington County Court Judge in the fall of 2016. As a part-time judge, she continues to work as an attorney in private practice, where she handles real estate, estate planning, probate, and business matters. Over the years, Judge Hansen has also served surrounding communities in a variety of capacities, including as municipal court judge, city/town attorney, and prosecutor. Judge Hansen earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 2000 from Colorado State University, where she graduated cum laude and was a member of the Honors Program. In December of 2002, she earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Denver College of Law, where she was Staff Editor of the University of Denver Law Review and a Marshall in Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity. The Commission conducted a personal interview with Judge Hansen, reviewed a sampling of her written rulings, observed her in court, and reviewed comments and responses from a survey of individuals familiar with Judge Hansen. Of those who completed the survey, 2 attorney and 11 non-attorney respondents indicated that they had worked with her enough to evaluate her performance. The Commission placed limited weight upon the survey results due to the small sample size. When asked if Judge Hansen meets performance standards, the responses were as follows: 50% of the 2 attorney respondents said “yes”, 50% had “no opinion; 90% of the 11 non-attorney respondents said “yes”, 10% had “no opinion”.

Judge Hansen’s County Court docket consists of primarily of traffic and misdemeanor cases, as well as some civil and small claims matters. Based upon the Commission’s overall evaluation, Judge Hansen has demonstrated that she meets or exceeds performance standards in all categories (integrity, legal knowledge, communication skills, judicial temperament, administrative performance, and service to the legal profession and public). In observations, Commissioners noted Judge Hansen’s efforts to make sure individuals who appeared before her without an attorney understood the process and what they needed to do next. Survey comments emphasized Judge Hansen’s moral integrity, commitment to the community, and willingness to perform additional research prior to making a decision. Some comments noted that the Judge tends to speak too quickly, a habit Judge Hansen acknowledged she was working on in her interview. Written opinions evidenced Judge Hansen’s knowledge of the law and effective communication skills. All available information suggests Judge Hansen is an asset to the community both on and off the bench, and the Commission unanimously agreed that she meets performance standards.

State evaluation page · 2018 survey report (PDF)