2020 retention · Supreme Court · Statewide
2nd of 4 (too few for a percentile)
composite 0100
52 percentile · rank 48 of 100
composite 0100
16 4th most of 4 among peers · 14th percentile statewide
1632
Composite index 66.67 among peers (50.67 statewide): the mean of the three percentiles below. Rank orders by it.
3.60 of 4
3.403.60
3.60 of 4
3.173.60
69.00%
66.00%90.00%
Attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 69.00%
Non-attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- not reported
| Category | Score | Peer median | Peer range (dot is this judge, line is the median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | 3.70median 3.50 | 3.50 | |
| Writing | 3.50median 3.40 | 3.40 | |
| Inter-Judge Evaluation | 3.60median 3.60 | 3.60 |
Commission: meets standards (11–0)
The State Commission on Judicial Performance finds that Justice Carlos A. Samour Jr. MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS, by a vote of 11-0. 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.
Justice Samour has been on the Colorado Supreme Court for a little over two years and this is his first retention evaluation. The Commission finds that Justice Samour is courteous to attorneys and treats parties equally without regard to race, sex, or economic status. He has quickly adapted to the responsibilities of a Colorado Supreme Court justice, demonstrates an admirable work ethic, and issues decisions in a timely manner. During oral arguments he allows the parties to present their positions, is respectful of their allotted time, and asks them insightful questions. His opinions are well organized, and he has a creative writing style that keeps the reader’s interest without compromising clarity. The Commission believes that Justice Samour is a valuable addition to the Colorado Supreme Court.
To conduct our evaluation, the Commission interviewed Justice Samour, reviewed his self-evaluation, observed oral arguments, read a selection of his legal opinions, and considered survey responses from attorneys and judges. One survey question asked whether Justice Samour met judicial performance standards. Of the attorneys who responded to that question, 69% answered yes, 13% answered no, and 19% had no opinion. Of the judges who responded to that question, 93% answered yes and 7% answered no. A total of 16 attorneys and 62 judges responded to the survey.
Justice Samour was appointed by Governor John Hickenlooper to the Colorado Supreme Court on July 2, 2018. He earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado at Denver and a law degree from the University of Denver College of Law in 1990. After a clerkship with the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, he worked for five years in civil practice and then for ten years as a prosecutor with the Denver District Attorney’s Office. Prior to his appointment to the Colorado Supreme Court, he was a Colorado district court judge in the 18th Judicial District, serving for four years as chief judge. Justice Samour regularly participates in community activities with an emphasis on mentoring low-income students and is actively engaged with immigrant communities, working to inspire immigrants. He is active in a number of law-related community programs and specialty bar associations.
2016 retention · District Court · 18th Judicial District
46 percentile · rank 33 of 61
composite 0100
49 percentile · rank 55 of 108
composite 0100
28 5th percentile among peers · 11th percentile statewide
17164
Composite index 47.54 among peers (46.60 statewide): the mean of the three percentiles below. Rank orders by it.
3.64 of 4 · 74.59 percentile
2.793.84
3.45 of 4 · 45.08 percentile
2.813.84
67.00% 22.95 percentile
40.00%100.00%
Attorneys
- Overall grade
- 3.08
- Say “meets standards”
- 67.00%
Non-attorneys
- Overall grade
- 3.85
- Say “meets standards”
- 100.00%
| Category | Score | Peer median | Peer range (dot is this judge, line is the median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Management | 2.92median 3.38 | 3.38 | |
| Application and Knowledge of Law | 3.43median 3.41 | 3.41 | |
| Communications | 3.53median 3.53 | 3.53 | |
| Diligence | 3.61median 3.48 | 3.48 | |
| Demeanor | 3.35median 3.47 | 3.47 | |
| Fairness | 3.86median 3.68 | 3.68 |
Commission: meets standards (10–0)
The Eighteenth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously recommends by a vote of 10-0 that Chief Judge Carlos Armando Samour, Jr. BE RETAINED
Chief Judge Samour has resided in Colorado with his parents and his 11 siblings since 1979. Although Chief Judge Samour and his family faced great obstacles during his childhood, he excelled academically. He graduated with honors from the University of Colorado at Denver, and later earned his Juris Doctorate with honors from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Chief Judge Samour has also excelled professionally. After law school, he completed a one-year judicial clerkship with Judge Robert McWilliams of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. Thereafter, he worked for five years with the Denver law firm, Holland and Hart. In 1996, he joined the Denver District Attorney’s Office, where he prosecuted cases until 2006. In January 2007, he was appointed as a district court judge, and on July 1, 2014, he was named Chief Judge. During the current term, Chief Judge Samour presided in perhaps the most complicated criminal case in Colorado history. The Aurora theater shooting trial included 24 counts of first-degree murder, 140 counts of attempted first degree murder, and one count of possession or control of explosive or incendiary devices. He was highly noted for his professionalism, efficiency, and trial management during the over two-year process of the case.
The Commission conducted extensive research in making this recommendation of retention, including the use of surveys, interviews of people who appear in his courtroom, observations, review of his caseload data, review of the judge’s self-evaluation and his written orders, and an interview. The vast majority of Chief Judge Samour’s survey scores are outstanding. Evaluators remarked that he is hard working, diligent, and even keeled. He was also noted for having a strong command of legal principles and being a fair and just arbiter. As an administrator, Chief Judge Samour has improved the efficiency of the district court civil, domestic relations, and criminal dockets.
The sample size of attorneys who completed surveys totaled only 6 people; therefore, the Commission finds that the results are too small to be given much weight. With that being said, 93% of all those who completed surveys recommended retention. This includes 67% of the 6 attorneys who completed the survey. Of the 22 non-attorneys who completed surveys, 100% recommended retention. Of the 9 jurors who completed the survey, 100% recommended retention. Of the 21 appellate judges who evaluated Chief Judge Samour, 90% gave him an “A” grade and 10% scored him a “B” grade, for a total rating of 3.9 on a scale of 1 to 4. An appellate judge noted his exemplary analytical skills, while another characterized his handling of the Aurora theater shooting trial with “such remarkable skill and grace” as “a singular achievement.” Chief Judge Samour’s breadth of experience, his judicial temperament, and his commitment to serve the Eighteenth Judicial District with honor and integrity are assets. Therefore, the Commission highly recommends his retention.