J. Chris Larson
District Court · 20th Judicial District · retention evaluations: 2026
2026 retention · District Court · 20th Judicial District
60 percentile · rank 26 of 65
composite 0100
58 percentile · rank 45 of 108
composite 0100
45 90th percentile among peers · 92nd percentile statewide
1054
Composite index 61.54 among peers (57.10 statewide): the mean of the three percentiles below. Rank orders by it.
3.20 of 4 · 56.15 percentile
2.103.80
3.25 of 4 · 61.54 percentile
2.073.82
93.00% 66.92 percentile
25.00%100.00%
Attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 93.00%
Non-attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 69.00%
| Category | Score | Peer median | Peer range (dot is this judge, line is the median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Management | 3.10median 3.20 | 3.20 | |
| Application and Knowledge of Law | 3.10median 3.10 | 3.10 | |
| Communications | 3.40median 3.30 | 3.30 | |
| Diligence | 3.10median 3.10 | 3.10 | |
| Demeanor | 3.40median 3.30 | 3.30 | |
| Fairness | 3.40median 3.10 | 3.10 |
Commission: meets standards (10–0)
The Twentieth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance, by a vote of 10-0, finds that Judge J. Chris Larson MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
Since Judge Larson’s appointment in 2024, he has presided primarily over civil cases. The Commission found Judge Larson to be hardworking, diligent, and thoughtful in his courtroom preparation and decision-making. He has implemented case-management practices designed to reduce delay and litigant expense, including providing oral rulings from the bench. He is committed to both substantive and procedural fairness and makes meaningful efforts to ensure that pro se parties understand the proceedings and have an opportunity to participate. Judge Larson’s demeanor and temperament further convey to litigants his commitment to fairness.
The Commission on Judicial Performance evaluates judges on six standards: legal knowledge, communication, integrity, judicial temperament and service to the legal profession. To evaluate Judge Larson’s performance, the Commission observed him in court, reviewed opinions he authored, considered his self-evaluation, held a public hearing to invite comments, and reviewed responses to a survey distributed to all persons who have appeared in his court. The Commission also conducted personal interviews with Judge Larson, the District Attorney, the Chief Judge and representatives of the Boulder Defense Bar.
Judge Larson was appointed as a District Judge in May 2024. Prior to judicial service, Judge Larson was an attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice for more than twenty years where he served in leadership roles in Washington, D.C. and Colorado. Before joining the Department of Justice, Judge Larson was a law clerk for a federal District Court Judge. He received his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School and undergraduate and master’s degrees from Syracuse University. While at Syracuse, he attended the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. He has participated in a variety of educational programs serving students from high school through law school, and he has worked to support expanded educational opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Recently, he began serving as the 20th Judicial District’s ex-officio representative to the Boulder County Bar Association.