2026 retention · District Court · 1st Judicial District
59 percentile · rank 27 of 65
composite 0100
55 percentile · rank 48 of 108
composite 0100
44 87th percentile among peers · 90th percentile statewide
1054
Composite index 59.23 among peers (55.56 statewide): the mean of the three percentiles below. Rank orders by it.
3.40 of 4 · 76.15 percentile
2.103.80
3.40 of 4 · 75.38 percentile
2.073.82
73.00% 26.15 percentile
25.00%100.00%
Attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 73.00%
Non-attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 90.00%
| Category | Score | Peer median | Peer range (dot is this judge, line is the median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Management | 3.40median 3.20 | 3.20 | |
| Application and Knowledge of Law | 3.30median 3.10 | 3.10 | |
| Communications | 3.40median 3.30 | 3.30 | |
| Diligence | 3.40median 3.10 | 3.10 | |
| Demeanor | 3.50median 3.30 | 3.30 | |
| Fairness | 3.40median 3.10 | 3.10 |
| Year | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade | 3.40 | 3.40 | 3.40 | 3.20 | 3.40 | 3.30 |
| Responses | 38 | 46 | 40 | 25 | 35 | 35 |
Commission: meets standards (10–0)
The First Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously agrees by a vote of 10-0 that Judge Christopher C. Zenisek MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
Judge Zenisek is a District Court Judge in Jefferson County presiding over a mixed docket of criminal, civil, and domestic relations matters. He is consistently described as thoughtful, prepared, thorough, and fair. He has a calm, professional demeanor that promotes respect, efficiency, and control in the courtroom. His rulings are timely, clear, and carefully considered, reflecting strong judgment, impartiality, and accountability, and he manages complex cases with diligence and skill. He is actively engaged in the legal community through service with multiple bar organizations and Colorado Supreme Court committees, participates in mock trials with high school students, and was appointed by the Chief Justice to preside over the Marshall Fire cases while maintaining a full caseload. He was able to manage this additional responsibility without taking a reduced caseload.
The Commission conducted a personal interview with Judge Zenisek, reviewed opinions he authored, observed Judge Zenisek in court, reviewed the 2025 Judicial Performance Survey Report from attorneys and non-attorneys appearing before him and received feedback from the Office of the State Public Defender and the First Judicial District Attorney's Office. Based on the Commission’s evaluation, Judge Zenisek demonstrated that he meets or exceeds performance standards in all categories under review: case management, application and knowledge of the law, communications, diligence, demeanor, and fairness.
Judge Zenisek was appointed to the First Judicial District Court in December 2011. Currently, he serves on the Leadership Committee of that Court. Before his judgeship, Judge Zenisek was an Assistant District Attorney for the 20th Judicial District and worked in private practice with Brownstein Hyatt Farber Shreck, P.C. and as a law clerk to Chief Judge Lewis Babcock (U.S. District Court) prior to that. Judge Zenisek received his undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado and his J.D. from the University of Denver. In 2026, Judge Zenisek was named as one of three finalists nominated for an appointment to the Colorado Supreme Court.
2020 retention · District Court · 1st Judicial District
29 percentile · rank 42 of 59
composite 0100
31 percentile · rank 69 of 100
composite 0100
41 56th percentile among peers · 70th percentile statewide
1488
Composite index 31.92 among peers (34.50 statewide): the mean of the three percentiles below. Rank orders by it.
3.40 of 4 · 36.44 percentile
2.203.90
3.48 of 4 · 41.53 percentile
2.423.88
74.00% 17.80 percentile
39.00%100.00%
Attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 74.00%
Non-attorneys
- Say “meets standards”
- 100.00%
| Category | Score | Peer median | Peer range (dot is this judge, line is the median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Management | 3.40median 3.60 | 3.60 | |
| Application and Knowledge of Law | 3.30median 3.40 | 3.40 | |
| Communications | 3.50median 3.50 | 3.50 | |
| Diligence | 3.30median 3.40 | 3.40 | |
| Demeanor | 3.40median 3.60 | 3.60 | |
| Fairness | 4.00median 4.00 | 4.00 |
Commission: meets standards (10–0)
The First Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously agrees by a vote of 10-0 that Judge Christopher Zenisek MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
Judge Zenisek presides over a mixed docket of criminal, civil, and domestic relations cases. Judge Zenisek is viewed as organized, well prepared for hearings and very good at listening to both sides of a case. Judge Zenisek endeavors to keep up with current practices, sharing knowledge with other judges, and his participation at legal conferences is acknowledged by the Commission. Judge Zenisek is viewed by those that practice before him as one of the best judges in the district. He is perceived as very bright, hardworking, and committed to serving litigants that appear before him. Courtroom observations by this Commission reveal that Judge Zenisek runs an efficient and organized courtroom, leaving appropriate time and opportunity for comment and decision making. He was observed to be polite, knowledgeable about the law, and attentive during his interactions with litigants. He was thoughtful, pleasant, and efficient.
The Commission’s conclusions are based upon several criteria: judicial performance survey responses, a personal interview with Judge Zenisek, a review of opinions he authored, courtroom observations and feedback from the chief judge, the District Attorney and Chief Public Defender. Regarding the survey responses, when asked whether he “meets performance standards,” Judge Zenisek received an overall grade of 3.4 on a 4.0 scale. Of the 39 attorney responses, 74 percent felt that Judge Zenisek met performance standards. Of the two non-attorney respondents, 100 percent felt that Judge Zenisek met performance standards.
Judge Zenisek was appointed to the First Judicial District court in December 2011. Currently, he serves on the Executive Development team of the courthouse. Before his judgeship, Judge Zenisek was an Assistant District Attorney for the 20th Judicial District and worked in private practice with Brownstein Hyatt Farber Shreck, P.C prior to that. In addition to his courtroom duties, Judge Zenisek believes that community involvement is extremely important. This is evident by his activities with the following groups: the Colorado Bar Association, the Colorado Supreme Court Civil Rules Committee, and the 1st Judicial District Board of Trustees. He also dedicates time preparing law students in a judicial program coordinated by the University of Denver. Furthermore, he judges high school mock trial competitions. Most recently, he coached his daughter’s basketball team during the 2019-2020 season. Judge Zenisek received his undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado and his J.D. from the University of Denver.