2022 retention · County Court · Arapahoe County
51 percentile · rank 29 of 59
composite 0100
66 percentile · rank 46 of 134
composite 0100
48 70th percentile among peers · 54th percentile statewide
4108
Composite index 53.67 among peers (64.55 statewide): the mean of the three percentiles below. Rank orders by it.
3.60 of 4 · 63.56 percentile
2.503.90
3.57 of 4 · 51.69 percentile
2.453.93
89.00% 45.76 percentile
50.00%100.00%
Attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 89.00%
Non-attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 91.00%
| Category | Score | Peer median | Peer range (dot is this judge, line is the median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Management | 3.60median 3.60 | 3.60 | |
| Application and Knowledge of Law | 3.50median 3.40 | 3.40 | |
| Communications | 3.60median 3.70 | 3.70 | |
| Diligence | 3.60median 3.60 | 3.60 | |
| Demeanor | 3.60median 3.60 | 3.60 | |
| Fairness | 3.50median 3.50 | 3.50 |
Commission: meets standards (7–0)
The Eighteenth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance finds, by a vote of 7-0 (with three Commissioners not participating) that Judge Michael J. Roche 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 Roche presides over civil, criminal, misdemeanor, and traffic matters in Arapahoe County, Colorado. Judge Roche’s strengths include case management, communications, diligence, and demeanor. As described by those that have interacted with him, he is fair, respectful, approachable, and professional. During his personal interview and while being observed during court proceedings, the traits previously described were consistent with the experience of the commission. Judge Roche stays current in jurisprudence by reviewing case announcements provided by the Colorado Supreme Court and by reviewing relevant court decisions and case law in his areas of expertise. He uses the knowledge gained in these reviews to refine his Judicial Officer skills and written decisions.
The Commission met with Chief Judge Michelle A. Amico to discuss her interactions with Judge Roche, as well as with members of the District Attorney’s Office, Public Defender’s Office and the Probation Office, to discuss their impressions of Judge Roche’s performance. The Commission members also conducted a personal interview with Judge Roche, observed him during court proceedings, and reviewed judicial performance survey responses from attorneys and non- attorneys that interacted with him in his courtroom. The surveys reflected personal opinions on Judge Roche’s Case Management, Application and Knowledge of the Law, Communications, Diligence, Demeanor, and Fairness. Of the forty-eight (48) completed surveys returned Judge Roche achieved an overall performance rating of 3.6 of a possible 4.0, compared to all County Judges at a rating of 3.4. His ratings for meeting performance standards from attorneys was 89%, and 91% from non-attorneys. Among the survey questions was, "Based on your responses to the previous questions related to the performance evaluation criteria, do you think Judge Roche meets judicial performance standards?" Of the attorneys responding to the survey, 89% answered yes, meets performance standards and 5% answered no, does not meet performance standards. Of the non-attorneys responding to the survey, 91% answered yes, meets performance standards and 9 % answered no, does not meet performance standards. Forty-Eight individuals responded to the judicial performance surveys expressing their opinions of Judge Roche’s performance. Based on these findings the Commission unanimously agreed that Judge Roche meets performance standards.
Judge Roche was appointed as an Arapahoe County judge in 2016. Judge Roche received a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan in 1987 and a J.D. from the University of Michigan School of Law in 1990. Prior to joining the court, Roche was a founding partner of Lathrop & Gage LLP's Denver office. His professional experience also includes working as an attorney at Baker Hostetler and serving as a law clerk to Judge Howard McKibben of the United States District Court for the District of Nevada.
2018 retention · County Court · Arapahoe County
9 percentile · rank 64 of 71
composite 0100
5 percentile · rank 121 of 128
composite 0100
54 37th percentile among peers · 29th percentile statewide
4130
Composite index 12.44 among peers (8.72 statewide): the mean of the three percentiles below. Rank orders by it.
3.06 of 4 · 10.56 percentile
2.593.90
3.03 of 4 · 7.75 percentile
2.593.90
67.00% 19.01 percentile
0.00%100.00%
Attorneys
- Overall grade
- 2.99
- Say “meets standards”
- 67.00%
Non-attorneys
- Overall grade
- 3.08
- Say “meets standards”
- 66.00%
| Category | Score | Peer median | Peer range (dot is this judge, line is the median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Management | 3.12median 3.50 | 3.50 | |
| Application and Knowledge of Law | 2.83median 3.38 | 3.38 | |
| Communications | 3.26median 3.58 | 3.58 | |
| Diligence | 3.10median 3.42 | 3.42 | |
| Demeanor | 2.98median 3.49 | 3.49 | |
| Fairness | 2.86median 3.60 | 3.60 |
Commission: meets standards (10–0)
The Eighteenth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously (10-0) agrees that Judge Michael J. Roche MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
Judge Roche was appointed as an Arapahoe County judge in 2016. He earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Michigan. After graduation, he clerked for federal district judge Howard McKibben. From 1991 until his appointment to the bench in 2016, Judge Roche practiced complex civil litigation at two national law firms. Judge Roche is very committed to serving the community. He serves on the Colorado County Court Civil Rules committee. He is active with the Arapahoe County Bar Association Access to Justice Committee, where he is working to make the judicial system more accessible and understandable to ordinary citizens. For many years, Judge Roche has coached the Arapahoe High School mock trial team. Outside the legal system, Judge Roche volunteers as a fly fishing guide for a national breast cancer charity. In 2017, the Arapahoe County Bar Association honored Judge Roche with its outstanding public service award.
The Commission conducted a personal interview with Judge Roche, reviewed opinions he authored, observed him in court, reviewed comments received from interested parties during the evaluation, and reviewed survey responses from attorneys and non-attorneys who had experience with Judge Roche. Among the survey questions was, "based on your responses to the previous questions related to the performance evaluation criteria, do you think Judge Roche meets judicial performance standards?" Of the attorneys responding to the survey, 67% answered yes, meets performance standards, 24% answered no, does not meet performance standards and 10% had no opinion (these percentages do not equal 100% due to rounding). Of the non-attorneys responding to the survey, 66% answered yes, meets performance standards, 28% answered no, does not meet performance standards, and 6% had no opinion. Twenty-two attorneys and thirty-two non-attorneys responded to the judicial performance surveys expressing their opinion of Judge Roche’s performance.
Judge Roche presides over civil and small claims cases at the Littleton Court Annex. Judge Roche received above average marks in case management, diligence, communications, and demeanor from attorneys surveyed. Among non-attorneys, Judge Roche received above average marks in diligence and communication. In his interview with the Commission Judge Roche stated that he was humbled by his somewhat lower scores in the areas of application and knowledge of the law and demeanor. Judge Roche stated that he will make every effort to improve in these areas. The Commission noted that Judge Roche has instituted several positive case management practices that have required attorneys and litigants to be prepared to prove all aspects of their claims. Judge Roche sets high expectations of himself and the attorneys who appear before him. The Commission greatly appreciated the candor and humility that Judge Roche displayed in his interview with the Commission. Based on these findings, the Commission unanimously agreed that Judge Roche meets judicial performance standards.