2026 retention · County Court · Arapahoe County
9 percentile · rank 33 of 36
composite 0100
9 percentile · rank 98 of 108
composite 0100
47 95th percentile among peers · 94th percentile statewide
1060
Composite index 18.06 among peers (16.67 statewide): the mean of the three percentiles below. Rank orders by it.
2.90 of 4 · 25.00 percentile
1.903.80
2.90 of 4 · 25.00 percentile
1.873.75
47.00% 4.17 percentile
0.00%100.00%
Attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 47.00%
Non-attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 81.00%
| Category | Score | Peer median | Peer range (dot is this judge, line is the median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Management | 2.90median 3.30 | 3.30 | |
| Application and Knowledge of Law | 3.00median 3.20 | 3.20 | |
| Communications | 2.90median 3.40 | 3.40 | |
| Diligence | 2.90median 3.30 | 3.30 | |
| Demeanor | 2.80median 3.30 | 3.30 | |
| Fairness | 2.90median 3.10 | 3.10 |
| Year | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade | 0.00 | 3.60 | 3.50 | 3.10 | 3.10 | 2.70 | 2.50 |
| Responses | 2 | 34 | 48 | 47 | 42 | 35 | 20 |
Commission: meets standards (8–0)
The Eighteenth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance agrees by a vote of 8-0, with one member absent and one vacancy on the Commission, that Judge Cheryl Rowles-Stokes MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS. The Colorado statutory judicial performance criteria are integrity, legal knowledge, communication skills, judicial temperament, administrative performance and service to the legal profession and to the public.
After meeting with Judge Rowles-Stokes, and after reviewing her work over the last four years, and after assessing feedback from attorneys and non-attorneys, the Commission was unanimous as to whether she meets judicial performance. Judge Rowles-Stokes knows the law and is conversant with it and she is a mentor to young attorneys, helping them improve their skills. Judge Rowles-Stokes is patient with those who appear before her. She runs an efficient courtroom. She listens carefully to arguments, and her records are accurate. Judge Rowles-Stokes was described as extremely knowledgeable about the law, wanting to share that knowledge, especially with young lawyers. She is also clear about her reasoning and expectations. Judge Rowles-Stokes is passionate about the law. She works hard, helps other divisions and judges. She is fair and respectful. It was suggested that she should train new judges. She was well-spoken and informative and addressed the participants in a friendly, professional manner. Jurors reported that Judge Rowles-Stokes “…was professional, impartial, and handled every aspect of the case in a way that made me, and my fellow jurors feel composed, and comfortable to accomplish our part of the proceedings”. Based on the aforementioned considerations, the Judicial Performance Commission recommends that Judge Rowles-Stokes meets performance standards and should be retained.
The Commission conducted a personal interview with Judge Rowles-Stokes, reviewed opinions she authored, observed her in court, reviewed comments from interested parties during the evaluation, and analyzed survey responses from attorneys and non-attorneys who had experience with Judge Rowles-Stokes. Attorney and non-attorney respondents, although low in response numbers, found no performance issues in any evaluation criteria. This was consistent with the Commission’s overall findings.
Judge Rowles-Stokes was appointed January 4, 2012. She earned her undergraduate degree from Colorado Christian University in Human Resources Management, a master's degree from Jones International University in Business Communications, and her law degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Prior to joining the bench, she was a Chief Deputy District Attorney for the 18th Judicial District Attorney, the Vice President of Human Resources for High-Speed Access Corp., and the Director of Human Resources and Legal for Rifkin & Associates. When not on the bench, Judge Rowles-Stokes dedicates her free time to serving the community as a board member of the Sam Cary Scholarship Endowment Fund, which awards scholarships to students at the University of Colorado and the University of Denver Schools of Law, and enjoying life with her friends and family, which includes eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She also clears her mind by working on cars for family and friends.
2022 retention · County Court · Arapahoe County
8 percentile · rank 54 of 59
composite 0100
11 percentile · rank 119 of 134
composite 0100
49 73rd percentile among peers · 57th percentile statewide
4108
Composite index 11.02 among peers (16.29 statewide): the mean of the three percentiles below. Rank orders by it.
3.10 of 4 · 5.93 percentile
2.503.90
3.18 of 4 · 5.93 percentile
2.453.93
81.00% 21.19 percentile
50.00%100.00%
Attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 81.00%
Non-attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 76.00%
| Category | Score | Peer median | Peer range (dot is this judge, line is the median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Management | 3.20median 3.60 | 3.60 | |
| Application and Knowledge of Law | 3.10median 3.40 | 3.40 | |
| Communications | 3.20median 3.70 | 3.70 | |
| Diligence | 3.20median 3.60 | 3.60 | |
| Demeanor | 3.20median 3.60 | 3.60 | |
| Fairness | 3.20median 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 Cheryl Rowles-Stokes 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 Rowles-Stokes presides over a diverse docket in Arapahoe County, including civil, misdemeanor and traffic cases. Judge Rowles-Stokes is described as being calm, fair and having compassion for those appearing in front of her. Survey participants consistently remarked on Judge Rowles-Stokes’ strengths of demeanor, fairness, knowledge of the law; however, a few concerns were expressed about inconsistent rulings. The Commission commends Judge Rowles-Stokes’ work. The 2022 Judicial Performance Survey for Judge Rowles-Stokes received forty-nine (49) responses; Judge Rowles-Stokes achieved an overall performance rating of 3.1 of a possible 4.0, compared to all County Judges at a rating 3.4. Based on these findings, the Commission unanimously agrees that Judge Rowles-Stokes meets judicial performance standards.
The Commission met with Chief Judge Michelle A. Amico to discuss her interactions with Judge Rowles-Stokes, as well as the District Attorney’s Office, Public Defender’s Office, Probation Department for feedback on Judge Rowles-Stokes’ performance. The Commission personally interviewed Judge Rowles-Stokes and reviewed her written self-evaluation. Members also observed Judge Rowles-Stokes in court and reviewed 2022 Judicial Performance Survey responses from attorneys and 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 Rowles-Stokes meets judicial performance standards?" Of the attorneys responding to the survey, 81% answered yes, meets performance standards. Of the non-attorneys responding to the survey, 76% answered yes, meets performance standards. Seventy-nine individuals responded to the judicial performance surveys expressing their opinions of Judge Rowles-Stokes’ performance.
Prior to joining the court, Judge Rowles-Stokes was a Chief Deputy District Attorney for the Eighteenth Judicial District Attorney, the Vice President of Human Resources for High Speed Access Corp., and the Director of Human Resources and Legal for Rifkin & Associates. She earned her undergraduate degree from Colorado Christian University in Human Resources Management, a master’s degree from Jones International University in Business Communications, and her law degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. When not on the bench, Judge Rowles-Stokes dedicates a significant amount of her free time serving the community as a board member of the Sam Cary Scholarship Endowment Fund (which awards scholarships to African American students at the University of Colorado and University of Denver Schools of Law) and enjoying life with her family (especially her eight grandchildren) and friends.
2018 retention · County Court · Arapahoe County
23 percentile · rank 54 of 71
composite 0100
19 percentile · rank 103 of 128
composite 0100
75 58th percentile among peers · 58th percentile statewide
4130
Composite index 26.06 among peers (24.09 statewide): the mean of the three percentiles below. Rank orders by it.
3.55 of 4 · 52.82 percentile
2.593.90
3.23 of 4 · 17.61 percentile
2.593.90
45.00% 7.75 percentile
0.00%100.00%
Attorneys
- Overall grade
- 2.66
- Say “meets standards”
- 45.00%
Non-attorneys
- Overall grade
- 3.74
- Say “meets standards”
- 95.00%
| Category | Score | Peer median | Peer range (dot is this judge, line is the median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Management | 2.99median 3.50 | 3.50 | |
| Application and Knowledge of Law | 3.08median 3.38 | 3.38 | |
| Communications | 3.30median 3.58 | 3.58 | |
| Diligence | 3.13median 3.42 | 3.42 | |
| Demeanor | 3.12median 3.49 | 3.49 | |
| Fairness | 3.77median 3.60 | 3.60 |
Commission: meets standards (10–0)
The Eighteenth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously (10-0) agrees that Judge Cheryl Rowles-Stokes MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
Judge Rowles- Stokes serves as a County Court Judge in Arapahoe County. Judge Rowles-Stokes earned her undergraduate degree from Colorado Christian University and a master’s degree from Jones International University. Judge Rowles-Stokes received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Prior to becoming a judge, Judge Rowles-Stokes distinguished herself as a human resource professional at High Speed Access Corporation and Rifkin & Associates. Judge Rowles-Stokes is most notable for her career in the Arapahoe County District Attorney’s Office of which she served as the Chief Deputy District Attorney in the Economic Crimes Unit for eleven years. When not on the bench, Judge Rowles-Stokes dedicates a significant amount of her free time serving the community as a member of the Sam Cary Bar Association and as a board member of the Sam Cary Scholarship Endowment Fund.
The Commission conducted a personal interview with Judge Rowles-Stokes, reviewed opinions she authored, observed her 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 Rowles-Stokes. Among the survey questions was, "based on your responses to the previous questions related to the performance evaluation criteria, do you think Judge Rowles-Stokes meets judicial performance standards?" Of the attorneys responding to the survey, 45% answered yes, meets performance standards, 45% answered no, does not meet performance standards and 9% had no opinion (these percentages do not equal 100% due to rounding). Of the non-attorneys responding to the survey, 95% answered yes, meets performance standards, 5% answered no, does not meet performance standards, and 0% had no opinion. Twelve attorneys and sixty-three non-attorneys responded to the judicial performance surveys expressing their opinion of Judge Rowles-Stokes performance.
Judge Rowles-Stokes presides over traffic and misdemeanor cases. Judge Rowles-Stokes received below average marks in case management, application of knowledge of law, communications, and demeanor from attorneys surveyed. However, among non-attorneys, Judge Rowles-Stokes received above average marks on each of the above referenced categories. These responses mirror those that Judge Rowles-Stokes received in her 2014 evaluation. Judge Rowles-Stokes was given the opportunity to explain the wide disparity between the attorney and non-attorney grades. Judge Rowles-Stokes stated that she has high expectations of the attorneys who appear before her and uses her authority to manage her courtroom in a way that best serves the public. She believes that these are the major reasons for the disparity. The Commission asked Judge Rowles-Stokes to be sure she allows parties to make a good record in her court and to continue to try to manage her court docket without resorting to the use of sanctions unless absolutely required. The Commission also noted that Judge Rowles- Stokes is very considerate of the public and jurors in her court. Based on these findings, the Commission unanimously agreed that Judge Rowles-Stokes meets judicial performance standards.