2022 retention · District Court · 10th Judicial District
96 percentile · rank 3 of 67
composite 0100
92 percentile · rank 11 of 134
composite 0100
57 62nd percentile among peers · 69th percentile statewide
15132
Composite index 94.53 among peers (90.30 statewide): the mean of the three percentiles below. Rank orders by it.
3.70 of 4 · 92.54 percentile
2.603.80
3.77 of 4 · 95.52 percentile
2.583.82
100.00% 95.52 percentile
43.00%100.00%
Attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 100.00%
Non-attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 100.00%
| Category | Score | Peer median | Peer range (dot is this judge, line is the median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Management | 3.70median 3.40 | 3.40 | |
| Application and Knowledge of Law | 3.70median 3.30 | 3.30 | |
| Communications | 3.70median 3.50 | 3.50 | |
| Diligence | 3.80median 3.40 | 3.40 | |
| Demeanor | 3.80median 3.50 | 3.50 | |
| Fairness | 3.90median 3.40 | 3.40 |
Commission: meets standards (9–0)
The Tenth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously agrees by a vote of 9 to 0 that Judge Larry Schwartz 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. The Commission conducted a personal interview with Judge Schwartz on June 1, 2022, reviewed opinions he authored and observed him in court.
Judge Schwartz’s demeanor is described as being calm, professional, impartial, respectful, and thoughtful. He is considered to be well prepared and knowledgeable on the law involved in his cases. He keeps strict control of his docket to insure that cases proceed to conclusion without unnecessary delay. He states his expectations of the parties in a manner that is clearly understood. Some of the survey responders wished he would be a bit warmer or less curt in his demeanor. However, Judge Schwartz is well thought of not only by attorneys and pro se parties, but by his judiciary colleagues as well. Judge Schwartz was nominated by his judicial colleagues and awarded the Judicial Excellence Award in 2020. He often serves as a mentor for judges who are just starting their judicial careers. Judge Schwartz’s written decisions are clear, concise and well written. Judge Schwartz is an extremely hard worker. He tracks new developments in the law, expands his practical and legal knowledge, and enhances the administration of justice in his court. Commission members observed these qualities during their evaluations and interview. Judge Schwartz's opinions reflect his knowledge of the law and common-sense communication style. Based on these findings the Commission unanimously agreed that Judge Schwartz meets performance standards.
The Commission reviewed judicial performance survey responses from attorneys and non-attorneys who had interaction in Judge Schwartz’s court. Among the survey questions was "based on your responses to the previous questions related to the performance evaluation criteria, do you think Judge Schwartz meets judicial performance standards?" Of the 57 people responding to the survey, 100% of the attorneys and 100% of the non-attorneys responding to the survey, answered yes. A total of 41 attorneys and 16 non-attorneys responded to the judicial performance surveys expressing their opinion of Judge Schwartz. Judge Schwartz received ratings above the statewide average among all District Court judges standing for retention with regard to all the areas surveyed: (1) case management, (2) application and knowledge of law, (3) communications, (4) demeanor, (5) diligence and (6) fairness.
Judge Schwartz was appointed to the District Court in Pueblo, Colorado in 2008. Judge Schwartz presides over Water Court (100%), Civil (10%), Domestic Relations (50%) and Probate (all probate cases where there is a recusal) matters in Pueblo, Colorado. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Southern Colorado and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma Law School. He previously served as a deputy district attorney and private counsel in Pueblo prior to his appointment to the bench.
2018 retention · District Court · 4th Judicial District
70 percentile · rank 16 of 52
composite 0100
71 percentile · rank 37 of 128
composite 0100
62 47th percentile among peers · 46th percentile statewide
29158
Composite index 66.99 among peers (67.32 statewide): the mean of the three percentiles below. Rank orders by it.
3.62 of 4 · 63.46 percentile
2.963.81
3.60 of 4 · 66.35 percentile
2.913.86
92.00% 71.15 percentile
44.00%100.00%
Attorneys
- Overall grade
- 3.57
- Say “meets standards”
- 92.00%
Non-attorneys
- Overall grade
- 3.66
- Say “meets standards”
- 92.00%
| Category | Score | Peer median | Peer range (dot is this judge, line is the median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Management | 3.43median 3.49 | 3.49 | |
| Application and Knowledge of Law | 3.61median 3.43 | 3.43 | |
| Communications | 3.69median 3.58 | 3.58 | |
| Diligence | 3.59median 3.50 | 3.50 | |
| Demeanor | 3.69median 3.51 | 3.51 | |
| Fairness | 3.57median 3.59 | 3.59 |
Commission: meets standards (7–0)
The Fourth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously (7-0) agrees that El Paso County District Judge Larry Edward Schwartz MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
Judge Schwartz was appointed to the El Paso County District Court on January 1, 1997. Judge Schwartz received both an undergraduate and a law degree from the University of Colorado in 1970 and 1973, respectively. After law school, Judge Schwartz spent four years in the Air Force as a Judge Advocate. He was in private practice in Colorado Springs from 1978-1983. Thereafter, after spending time working as a commercial real estate broker, Judge Schwartz worked as an El Paso County Deputy District Attorney from 1990 to 1996. Judge Schwartz served on the Colorado Judicial Civil Rules Committee and was a member of the District Judges Association. He is also a past Trustee of El Paso County Bar Association and the El Paso County Bar Association/Board of Realtors Committee.
The Commission reviewed Judge Schwartz’s self-evaluation, a number of his written decisions, and the evaluations and comments of both attorneys and non-attorneys who have appeared before Judge Schwartz. Among the survey questions was “based on your responses to the previous question related to the performance evaluation criteria, do you think Judge Schwartz meets judicial performance standards?” Of the attorneys responding to the survey, 92% answered yes, meets performance standards and 8% answered no, does not meet performance standards. Of the non-attorneys responding to the survey, 92% answered yes, meets performance standards 6% answered no, does not meet performance standards and 3% had no opinion. (These percentages do not total 100% due to rounding) Since 2015, Judge Schwartz’s docket has consisted of civil cases and felony criminal cases. He also handles water law matters.
Attorneys who responded to a survey regarding the performance of Judge Schwartz found Judge Schwartz to be above average in case management, application and knowledge of the law, and in his communication skills. Additionally, Judge Schwartz was rated very high in diligence and in courtroom demeanor. Non-attorneys also gave Judge Schwartz high marks in the areas of demeanor, fairness, communication skills, diligence and application of the law. The scores and comments given Judge Schwartz by both attorneys and non-attorneys are consistent with the high scores Judge Schwartz received in prior reviews. Judge Schwartz was open and direct when interviewed by the Commission. Judge Schwartz obviously enjoys his job, and it is the opinion of the Commission that he is an exceptional jurist. Judge Schwartz is a mentor to many of the Judges on the Fourth Judicial District bench. The Commission believes that Judge Schwartz meets performance standards, and it strongly recommends that Judge Schwartz continues as an El Paso County District Judge.
2016 retention · District Court · 10th Judicial District
36 percentile · rank 39 of 61
composite 0100
34 percentile · rank 71 of 108
composite 0100
62 45th percentile among peers · 38th percentile statewide
17164
Composite index 36.34 among peers (35.96 statewide): the mean of the three percentiles below. Rank orders by it.
3.39 of 4 · 28.69 percentile
2.793.84
3.43 of 4 · 40.16 percentile
2.813.84
78.00% 40.16 percentile
40.00%100.00%
Attorneys
- Overall grade
- 3.04
- Say “meets standards”
- 78.00%
Non-attorneys
- Overall grade
- 3.83
- Say “meets standards”
- 89.00%
| Category | Score | Peer median | Peer range (dot is this judge, line is the median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Management | 2.97median 3.38 | 3.38 | |
| Application and Knowledge of Law | 3.35median 3.41 | 3.41 | |
| Communications | 3.50median 3.53 | 3.53 | |
| Diligence | 3.48median 3.48 | 3.48 | |
| Demeanor | 3.44median 3.47 | 3.47 | |
| Fairness | 3.84median 3.68 | 3.68 |
Commission: meets standards (10–0)
The Tenth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously (10-0) recommends that Judge Larry Charles Schwartz BE RETAINED.
Judge Schwartz was appointed to the District Court bench on July 1, 2008. He has served the community with the upmost integrity and has been a positive addition to the bench. He is extremely conscientious about every facet of his duties. He took an active role in supervising the construction of the new judicial building and continues to be the point person to address any issues with the building.
The Commission conducted a personal interview with Judge Schwartz, interviewed agencies that interact with him in court, reviewed orders and opinions he authored, observed him in court and reviewed surveys sent to attorneys and non-attorneys. Among the survey questions was “how strongly do you recommend that Judge Schwartz be retained in office or not be retained in office?” Of 34 attorneys completing the survey, 78% recommended to retain, 12% not to retain and 9% made no recommendation regarding retention. Of 28 non-attorneys completing the survey, 89% recommended to retain, 0% recommended not to retain and 11% made no recommendation regarding retention. Judge Schwartz takes seriously the criticisms of his performance reflected in those surveys and acknowledges that he has room for improvement.
Judge Schwartz currently presides over primarily criminal matters and water court. He handles 25% of the criminal docket and 100% of the water docket. Prior to the current docket, Judge Schwartz handled 50% of the civil docket and 50% of the domestic relations docket. In his interview with the Commission, Judge Schwartz pointed out that when he took over the Water Court docket, there were 200 pending cases, some dating back many decades; he has now reduced that to 100 cases in a relatively short period of time. The primary concern presented was that Judge Schwartz has a tendency to be overly rigid in expectations of the attorneys and timelines. In contrast, Judge Schwartz was very efficient with his time and extremely organized. He knows the law and applies it appropriately. The Commission found that Judge Schwartz is knowledgeable about the law. He applies the appropriate legal standard to the facts and is very detail-oriented and organized. He has been credited with being available to assist others with technology concerns.