2022 retention · District Court · 20th Judicial District
82 percentile · rank 12 of 67
composite 0100
76 percentile · rank 31 of 134
composite 0100
66 76th percentile among peers · 82nd percentile statewide
15132
Composite index 79.60 among peers (73.63 statewide): the mean of the three percentiles below. Rank orders by it.
3.60 of 4 · 81.34 percentile
2.603.80
3.63 of 4 · 81.34 percentile
2.583.82
94.00% 76.12 percentile
43.00%100.00%
Attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 94.00%
Non-attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 78.00%
| Category | Score | Peer median | Peer range (dot is this judge, line is the median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Management | 3.70median 3.40 | 3.40 | |
| Application and Knowledge of Law | 3.50median 3.30 | 3.30 | |
| Communications | 3.60median 3.50 | 3.50 | |
| Diligence | 3.60median 3.40 | 3.40 | |
| Demeanor | 3.70median 3.50 | 3.50 | |
| Fairness | 3.70median 3.40 | 3.40 |
Commission: meets standards (10–0)
The 20th Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously finds, by a vote of 10-0, that the Honorable Bruce Langer 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 Langer presides over civil, criminal, probate, juvenile, and family law cases in Boulder County. He stays current in these diverse areas of law by reading appellate opinions and statutory amendments and attending relevant training programs. Judge Langer is pleasant and even tempered in court. He runs an efficient courtroom while showing respect to all participants by allowing them the time they need to properly present their case. He stresses clarity and plain English in his oral and written rulings and demonstrates attentiveness to factual and legal issues before the court. Judge Langer believes that public trust in the courts depends on people’s perceptions that courtroom proceedings are fair and conducts himself accordingly. He is an experienced judge who continually learns on the job.
The Commission conducted a personal interview with Judge Langer, reviewed opinions he wrote, observed his performance in court, and reviewed judicial performance survey responses from attorneys and non-attorneys who participated in his court proceedings. The Commission also received comments on Judge Langer’s performance from the district attorney and representatives of the defense bar and held a public hearing to allow citizens the opportunity to provide additional comments.
Judge Langer was appointed to the Boulder District Court bench in September 2013. He was a deputy district attorney and chief deputy district attorney for eighteen years in Boulder before his appointment to the bench. He graduated from the University of Colorado School of Law in 1994, and from the University of Colorado with a degree in journalism in 1981. Before law school, he worked as a reporter and editor for the Boulder Daily Camera. He is active in the Colorado Bar Association and volunteers as a judge in students’ mock trial competitions. Judge Langer also serves as a coach for newer judges in the state’s peer-to-peer judicial training program.
2016 retention · District Court · 20th Judicial District
38 percentile · rank 38 of 61
composite 0100
37 percentile · rank 67 of 108
composite 0100
105 82nd percentile among peers · 73rd percentile statewide
17164
Composite index 37.70 among peers (37.35 statewide): the mean of the three percentiles below. Rank orders by it.
3.40 of 4 · 30.33 percentile
2.793.84
3.40 of 4 · 36.89 percentile
2.813.84
81.00% 45.90 percentile
40.00%100.00%
Attorneys
- Overall grade
- 3.29
- Say “meets standards”
- 81.00%
Non-attorneys
- Overall grade
- 3.51
- Say “meets standards”
- 80.00%
| Category | Score | Peer median | Peer range (dot is this judge, line is the median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Management | 3.43median 3.38 | 3.38 | |
| Application and Knowledge of Law | 3.23median 3.41 | 3.41 | |
| Communications | 3.49median 3.53 | 3.53 | |
| Diligence | 3.35median 3.48 | 3.48 | |
| Demeanor | 3.48median 3.47 | 3.47 | |
| Fairness | 3.42median 3.68 | 3.68 |
Commission: meets standards (10–0)
The Twentieth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously (10-0) recommends that Judge Bruce Langer BE RETAINED.
Judge Langer was appointed to the District Court of the Twentieth Judicial District on September 11, 2013. Prior to his appointment, Judge Langer was a Deputy and then a Chief Deputy District Attorney in the Twentieth Judicial District. He earned his juris doctor from the University of Colorado Law School in 1994. Before attending law school, he worked for the Boulder Daily Camera as a reporter. His undergraduate degree in journalism was conferred by the University of Colorado. Judge Langer has been active in community service, having served on the Board of Directors of the nonprofit organization A Precious Child prior to his judicial appointment. He currently serves on the advisory board of that organization, and also presides over student trial competitions at the high school, undergraduate, and law school levels as time allows.
The Commission observed Judge Langer in court, reviewed his self-evaluation, reviewed written orders that he authored, reviewed survey responses from attorneys and non-attorneys who appeared in his court, and interviewed Judge Langer. The Commission considered all of these sources of information in reaching its recommendation. Regarding survey results, 81% of attorneys completing the survey recommended to retain, 12% not to retain, and 8% made no recommendation regarding retention. Of non-attorneys completing the survey, 80% recommended to retain, 8% not to retain, and 12% made no recommendation regarding retention. (These percentages may not total 100% due to rounding).
In his first two-and-a-half years on the bench, Judge Langer’s caseload has been approximately 66% domestic, 33% civil, and 1% criminal. In our interview, Judge Langer described his goal of assuring both substantive and perceptual fairness in his courtroom. He acknowledged that he has learned a lot in his short time on the bench, and understands that the need to continue expanding his knowledge of new areas of the law as new cases come before him. The Commission appreciates Judge Langer’s commitment to equity, justice, and knowledge of the law, and concludes that Judge Langer is a capable judge who will continue to gain experience and legal knowledge going forward. As his judicial temperament matures, we expect Judge Langer’s communication skills to continue to grow and his administrative performance to continue to improve. Overall, Judge Langer seems very comfortable bearing the significant responsibilities of his position.