2022 retention · District Court · 18th Judicial District
60 percentile · rank 27 of 67
composite 0100
48 percentile · rank 69 of 134
composite 0100
63 73rd percentile among peers · 79th percentile statewide
15132
Composite index 53.73 among peers (44.90 statewide): the mean of the three percentiles below. Rank orders by it.
3.40 of 4 · 49.25 percentile
2.603.80
3.47 of 4 · 57.46 percentile
2.583.82
88.00% 54.48 percentile
43.00%100.00%
Attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 88.00%
Non-attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 88.00%
| Category | Score | Peer median | Peer range (dot is this judge, line is the median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Management | 3.40median 3.40 | 3.40 | |
| Application and Knowledge of Law | 3.30median 3.30 | 3.30 | |
| Communications | 3.60median 3.50 | 3.50 | |
| Diligence | 3.40median 3.40 | 3.40 | |
| Demeanor | 3.70median 3.50 | 3.50 | |
| Fairness | 3.40median 3.40 | 3.40 |
Commission: meets standards (7–0)
The Eighteenth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance finds, by a vote of 7-0, that Judge Jeffrey K. Holmes 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 Holmes presides over a civil docket. Previously his docket was a mixed docket, including civil and criminal. Judge Holmes often volunteers for high profile cases and is described as having a fair and consistent judicial demeanor. Judge Holmes conducts himself in a professional manner and he has a strong knowledge of the law. He is a team player and often volunteers to help other judges.
The Commission met with Chief Judge Michelle A. Amico to discuss her interactions with Judge Holmes, as well as the District Attorney’s Office, Public Defender’s Office, Probation Department for feedback on Judge Holmes’s performance. The feedback was extremely favorable. The Commission personally interviewed Judge Holmes and reviewed his written self-evaluation. Members also observed Judge Holmes in court and reviewed Judicial Performance Survey responses from attorneys and non-attorneys. Judge Holmes received above average scores for demeanor, communication, and fairness with an overall performance rating of 3.4 of a possible 4.0, compared to the average of all judges of 3.4. Two surveys were conducted during Judge Holmes’ term. Judge Holmes received above average scores for demeanor, communication and fairness. Among the survey questions was one that asked, “based on your responses to the previous questions related to the performance evaluation criteria, do you think Judge Holmes meets judicial performance standards?” Of the attorneys responding to the 2022 survey 88% said “Yes”, compared to 83% for all district judges, and 88% of non-attorneys said “Yes” compared to 79% for all district judges. Of the attorneys responding to the 2019 survey 91% said “Yes” compared to 82% for all district judges and 97% of non-attorneys responding to the 2019 survey said “Yes” compared to 85% for all district judges.
Judge Holmes earned a bachelor’s degree from Southern Methodist University and graduated from the University of Texas Law School. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Holmes was in private practice for approximately 17 years. After leaving private practice, Judge Holmes worked as a District Court Magistrate for the 18th Judicial District for 10 years, primarily handling juvenile matters. He has participated as a judge for the mock trial competitions. He serves on various law-related committees and is an active member of the Elbert/Douglas and Arapahoe Bar Associations. Judge Holmes formally served as the Chairman of the Executive Board of his church and was on various committees at his church. He continues to volunteer at his Church and in other community activities including the Denver Public Library.
2016 retention · District Court · 18th Judicial District
72 percentile · rank 17 of 61
composite 0100
70 percentile · rank 32 of 108
composite 0100
95 76th percentile among peers · 67th percentile statewide
17164
Composite index 70.22 among peers (69.75 statewide): the mean of the three percentiles below. Rank orders by it.
3.57 of 4 · 62.30 percentile
2.793.84
3.61 of 4 · 73.77 percentile
2.813.84
92.00% 74.59 percentile
40.00%100.00%
Attorneys
- Overall grade
- 3.70
- Say “meets standards”
- 92.00%
Non-attorneys
- Overall grade
- 3.53
- Say “meets standards”
- 82.00%
| Category | Score | Peer median | Peer range (dot is this judge, line is the median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Management | 3.56median 3.38 | 3.38 | |
| Application and Knowledge of Law | 3.49median 3.41 | 3.41 | |
| Communications | 3.71median 3.53 | 3.53 | |
| Diligence | 3.61median 3.48 | 3.48 | |
| Demeanor | 3.69median 3.47 | 3.47 | |
| Fairness | 3.58median 3.68 | 3.68 |
Commission: meets standards (10–0)
The Eighteenth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously recommends by a vote of 10-0 that Judge Jeffrey K. Holmes BE RETAINED.
Judge Holmes earned a bachelor’s degree from Southern Methodist University and graduated from the University of Texas Law School. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Holmes was in private practice for approximately 17 years. After leaving private practice, Judge Holmes worked as a District Court Magistrate for the 18th Judicial District for 10 years, primarily handling juvenile matters. He was appointed to the district court in June of 2007 where his current caseload is 35% criminal, 25% civil, 25% domestic relations, 10% juvenile matters, 4% probate, and 1% mental health. Judge Holmes spends three-quarters of his time in Elbert County District Court and the other one one-quarter in the Lincoln County District Court. Judge Holmes believes strongly in community service and feels that community involvement is important for judicial officers. He has participated as a judge for the mock trial competitions, assists with Child & Family Investigator training, and speaks to students at Colorado State University on wills and estates. He serves on various law-related committees and is an active member of the Elbert/Douglas and Arapahoe Bar Associations. Judge Holmes currently serves as the Chairman of the Executive Board of his church and is on various committees at his church.
Before recommending retention of Judge Holmes, the Commission conducted extensive research; including, meeting personally with the judge, reviewing surveys conducted on him, interviewing people involved in the courtroom, studying his personal self-evaluation and rulings, and conducting personal observations in the courtroom. Surveys praise Judge Holmes’ judicial decorum, describing him as an outstanding jurist who is: excellent, fair-minded, courteous, considerate, superb, and well-prepared. Among the survey questions were, "How strongly do you recommend that Judge Holmes be retained in office?" Of the 25 attorneys completing the survey, 92% recommended to retain, 8% not to retain, and 0% made no recommendation. Of the 70 non-attorneys completing the survey, 82% recommended to retain, 13% not to retain, and 4% made no recommendation. (These percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.)
The Commission finds that Judge Holmes is an exceptional and accomplished judge who should be retained in office. He conducts himself in a highly professional manner, treats all parties with dignity, respect, and kindness, and is efficient and manages his docket well. He also has extensive knowledge of the law and maintains a sense of calmness in his courtroom. Judge Holmes listens to all parties and is fair and consistent when handing out a sentence. The Commission finds that Judge Jeffrey K. Holmes is a dedicated judge who should be retained on the bench.