2024 retention · County Court · Yuma County
98 percentile · rank 1 of 47
composite 0100
99 percentile · rank 1 of 107
composite 0100
6 2nd percentile among peers · 0th percentile statewide
671
Composite index 96.81 among peers (96.88 statewide): the mean of the three percentiles below. Rank orders by it.
3.80 of 4 · 97.87 percentile
2.103.80
3.75 of 4 · 98.94 percentile
2.173.75
100.00% 93.62 percentile
27.00%100.00%
Attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 100.00%
Non-attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 100.00%
| Category | Score | Peer median | Peer range (dot is this judge, line is the median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Management | 3.60median 3.30 | 3.30 | |
| Application and Knowledge of Law | 3.70median 3.10 | 3.10 | |
| Communications | 3.70median 3.30 | 3.30 | |
| Diligence | 3.80median 3.30 | 3.30 | |
| Demeanor | 3.90median 3.30 | 3.30 | |
| Fairness | 3.80median 3.20 | 3.20 |
Commission: meets standards (7–0)
The Thirteenth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance finds by a vote of 7-0, with two members absent and one commissioner vacancy, that Honorable Kristei Ray Jones MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
Judge Jones was appointed to the Yuma County Court in August of 2018. The Commission conducted a virtual interview with Judge Jones, reviewed survey results, Judge Jones self-evaluation, written orders, courtroom observations and judicial performance data. Judge Jones is one of four lay judges in Colorado. Even though previously Judge Jones did not have any legal training, Judge Jones has diligently studied the law to make sure his rulings are correct. While this is not something that comes easily, Judge Jones is not afraid to seek help and guidance when faced with circumstances or legal questions he does not know the answer to. One of the many reasons for Judge Jones’ success is due to his outstanding preparation. Prior to any hearing, Judge Jones researches legal issues so that he understands the applicable law. Throughout all the information received the commission unanimously believes Judge Jones meets performance standards.
In reviewing the survey results the Commission could hold little weight to the survey results due to minimal responses. Response rates on surveys throughout the State of Colorado have been down in the last year. One of these reasons was due to an accessibility issue and the other issue is presumably the rural jurisdiction. In the 2024 survey retention period Judge Jones received six responses. In the 2023 interim survey period Judge Jones received 11 responses but only five responses from respondents who had sufficient experience to evaluate the judge. In the very limited survey results, Judge Jones performed above average compared to other county court judges in the state in both the 2023 and 2024 survey results. The applicable areas the commission is tasked with evaluating are Case Management, Application and Knowledge of Law, Communications, Diligence, Demeanor, and Fairness.
Judge Jones is a part-time judge in Yuma County. Judge Jones is a ranch owner and operator, as well as an owner of Tri State Livestock. He has served as a Volunteer Fireman in Wauneta and Wray since 1995. He also served as the Mayor of Wray from 2008-2012 and was a member of the Wray City Council from 2004-2008. Judge Jones earned his diploma from Yuma High School in 1985.
2020 retention · County Court · Yuma County
6 percentile · rank 35 of 37
composite 0100
5 percentile · rank 95 of 100
composite 0100
7 12th percentile among peers · 4th percentile statewide
380
Composite index 7.21 among peers (6.33 statewide): the mean of the three percentiles below. Rank orders by it.
2.60 of 4 · 4.05 percentile
1.504.00
2.70 of 4 · 4.05 percentile
1.503.95
67.00% 13.51 percentile
0.00%100.00%
Attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 67.00%
Non-attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 60.00%
| Category | Score | Peer median | Peer range (dot is this judge, line is the median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Management | 3.70median 3.50 | 3.50 | |
| Application and Knowledge of Law | 2.30median 3.30 | 3.30 | |
| Communications | 2.90median 3.60 | 3.60 | |
| Diligence | 2.70median 3.40 | 3.40 | |
| Demeanor | 2.60median 3.50 | 3.50 | |
| Fairness | 2.00median 3.90 | 3.90 |
Commission: meets standards (6–0)
The Thirteenth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance finds that the Honorable Kristei Ray Jones MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS. Six members of the Commission voted that Judge Jones meets performance standards; no members voted that he does not meet performance standards (three members did not participate and there is one vacancy on the Commission).
Judge Jones has been serving as the Yuma County Court Judge for about two years, with a docket consisting primarily of traffic, misdemeanor, civil, and small claims matters. This is a part-time position. Judge Jones is a lay judge with no prior formal legal training or experience. Judge Jones has been working diligently over this term to learn the law and legal procedure and appears to be increasing his proficiency in this regard. He has compensated for his lack of training and education in the law by spending additional time researching and preparing for hearings. Judge Jones has demonstrated a willingness, commitment, and ability to do the work necessary to continue to grow in this position. The Commission believes that he has made satisfactory progress in this regard during his first two years on the bench. The Commission has no concerns about Judge Jones’ judicial temperament, integrity, administrative performance, or communication skills. Judge Jones expressed a desire to turn his greatest weakness, namely his lack of prior legal education or training, into an asset. He has found that his own experiences trying to navigate an unfamiliar court system enable him to relate to and communicate more effectively with individuals representing themselves in the courtroom. This is a valuable skill, given that these individuals make up a significant portion of litigants and present a challenge for all judges.
The Commission conducted a personal interview with Judge Jones. It also reviewed recordings of court proceedings; written materials, including a self-evaluation and orders issued; and survey responses from attorneys and non-attorneys who had interaction with Judge Jones in court. The Commission placed limited weight on the survey results, due to the small number of responses (only seven individuals responded). Survey responses did reflect notably strong performance in case management and a number of respondents remarked that Judge Jones consistently starts court on time, runs an efficient courtroom, and rules on matters promptly. During his interview with the Commission, Judge Jones reflected on some of the things he had learned from survey responses and changes he had implemented as a result. It is evident that he is adapting based upon feedback and eager to perform well in this position.
Judge Jones is a cattle rancher, and previously owned an agricultural fertilizer and pesticide application business in Wray. He was a Volunteer Fireman in Wauneta and Wray from 1995 to 2019; was a member of Wray City Council from 2004-2008; and served as the Mayor of Wray from 2008-2012. He earned his high school diploma from Yuma High School in 1985 and is a veteran of the United States Army.