2026 retention · District Court · 20th Judicial District
54 percentile · rank 30 of 65
composite 0100
49 percentile · rank 55 of 108
composite 0100
26 52nd percentile among peers · 55th percentile statewide
1054
Composite index 54.62 among peers (49.85 statewide): the mean of the three percentiles below. Rank orders by it.
3.20 of 4 · 56.15 percentile
2.103.80
3.23 of 4 · 58.46 percentile
2.073.82
85.00% 49.23 percentile
25.00%100.00%
Attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 85.00%
Non-attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 83.00%
| Category | Score | Peer median | Peer range (dot is this judge, line is the median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Management | 3.20median 3.20 | 3.20 | |
| Application and Knowledge of Law | 3.10median 3.10 | 3.10 | |
| Communications | 3.40median 3.30 | 3.30 | |
| Diligence | 3.30median 3.10 | 3.10 | |
| Demeanor | 3.30median 3.30 | 3.30 | |
| Fairness | 3.10median 3.10 | 3.10 |
| Year | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade | 3.70 | 3.50 | 3.40 | 3.20 | 3.30 | 3.10 | 2.80 |
| Responses | 35 | 37 | 88 | 100 | 55 | 39 | 16 |
Commission: meets standards (10–0)
The Twentieth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance, by a vote of 10-0, finds that Chief Judge Nancy Woodruff Salomone MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
Judge Salomone has presided over criminal, civil, domestic relations, and probate dockets in the 20th Judicial District during her nearly nine years on the bench. As Chief Judge, she has responsibility for not only her own cases but also the administration of the county and district courts within the District. The Commission finds Judge Salomone to be sharp, organized, empathetic, and highly skilled at legal analysis. Judge Salomone has advanced innovations in court processes, including in her work presiding over the post-judgment Adult Integrated Treatment Court focused on substance abuse issues, as well as in her work presiding over the recently formed pre-judgement Competency Docket. She is valued for her firm and fair management of the courtroom, her balanced concern for both victims and the accused, and her diligent administration of the 20th Judicial District.
The Judicial Performance Commission evaluates judges on six standards: legal knowledge, communication, administrative performance, integrity, judicial temperament, and service to the legal profession. To evaluate Judge Salomone’s performance the Commission observed her in court, reviewed opinions she authored, considered her self-evaluation, held a public meeting to invite comments, and reviewed responses to a survey distributed to all persons who have appeared in her court. The Commission also conducted personal interviews with Judge Salomone, the District Attorney, and a representative of the Boulder defense bar.
Judge Salomone was appointed as a District Judge in October 2017. Prior to her appointment, she practiced as a partner in a Boulder law firm, as a solo practitioner, and as a deputy state public defender in Denver. As Chief Judge, she represents the District while engaging with court-involved organizations and the legal community. Some examples include recurring meetings with court sub-agencies, local law enforcement, Boulder County leaders, and directors of the court’s partner agencies. She convenes local leadership councils and participates in the statewide Chief Judge Council. She is a member of statewide committees including the Multidistrict Litigation Panel, the Criminal Benchbook Committee, and the Judicial Equity Project. She speaks at local schools, and she previously provided coaching assistance to a local high school mock trial team. Judge Salomone earned her undergraduate degree from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1994 and her law degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 1998.
2020 retention · District Court · 20th Judicial District
68 percentile · rank 19 of 59
composite 0100
70 percentile · rank 30 of 100
composite 0100
41 56th percentile among peers · 70th percentile statewide
1488
Composite index 63.84 among peers (63.67 statewide): the mean of the three percentiles below. Rank orders by it.
3.50 of 4 · 56.78 percentile
2.203.90
3.65 of 4 · 74.58 percentile
2.423.88
88.00% 60.17 percentile
39.00%100.00%
Attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 88.00%
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 3.60 | 3.60 | |
| Application and Knowledge of Law | 3.40median 3.40 | 3.40 | |
| Communications | 3.70median 3.50 | 3.50 | |
| Diligence | 3.40median 3.40 | 3.40 | |
| Demeanor | 3.80median 3.60 | 3.60 | |
| Fairness | 4.00median 4.00 | 4.00 |
Commission: meets standards (10–0)
The Twentieth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously agrees by a vote of 10-0 that Judge Nancy Woodruff Salomone MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
Judge Salomone currently is assigned to a family law division and has previously presided over civil and probate dockets. Her written decisions are detailed and clear. As one attorney noted, “she’s a first-rate thinker, analyst, and writer.” Her survey scores were generally positive, with particularly high ratings for demeanor, communication skills, and overall judicial attributes. Since taking the bench, Judge Salomone has attended trainings and continuing legal education presentations to learn about areas of law with which she is not experienced. She also participates in community service by judging high school mock trial competitions, teaching classes at the University of Colorado Law School, and serving on the bar association’s Professionalism Committee.
The Performance Commission interviewed Judge Salomone, observed her in court or listened to recordings of her court, read some of her written opinions, solicited and received comments from the Boulder District Attorney and the co-chairs of the Boulder Criminal Defense Bar, and reviewed performance survey responses from attorneys and non-attorneys who had been in her courtroom. Among the survey questions was “based on your responses to the previous questions related to the performance evaluation criteria, do you believe Judge Salomone meets judicial performance standards?” Of the thirty-nine attorneys who responded to the survey, 88 percent of the responding attorneys said yes, six percent said no, and six percent had no opinion. Of the two non-attorneys responding to the survey, 100 percent said that Judge Salomone meets performance standards. Overall, Judge Salomone is a compassionate and insightful judge who is enthusiastic and highly engaged in her job.
Judge Salomone was appointed to the Boulder District Court in October 2017. Prior to her appointment, she was a partner in the law firm of Malkinson Salomone, LLC, a criminal defense firm. Prior to entering private practice, she served as a deputy public defender in Denver. Judge Salomone earned her undergraduate degree from UCLA, and her law degree from the University of Michigan Law School.