The Colorado Judicial Department has released its Judicial Officer Outreach Program 2025 Annual Legislative Report. The report details efforts to increase transparency, belonging, and public trust in the judiciary through targeted outreach and educational initiatives about judicial vacancies and the nomination process.
This year’s report includes new data points that show the paths current judicial officers have taken to reach their positions. The department aims to make these pathways more accessible for everyone interested in a judicial career.
Among the findings, the report provides demographic information on judicial appointments across Colorado for fiscal year 2025. The data is broken down by race, ethnicity, gender, and other background factors at both the statewide level and for each of the twenty-three judicial districts.
Statewide listening sessions held throughout various judicial districts are also summarized in the report. These sessions gathered region-specific feedback on challenges and opportunities related to recruiting new judges.
Based on insights from these sessions, the Judicial Officer Outreach Program launched “Your Honor: Journey to the Bench,” a seven-week virtual webinar series intended for attorneys and aspiring judges. The series was developed as an extension of a similar in-person symposium conducted last spring and is designed to encourage dialogue and clarify how individuals can pursue a judgeship.
Nga Vương-Sandoval, lead of the Judicial Officer Outreach Program, stated: “The Judicial Officer Outreach Program is grounded in the belief that meaningful community engagement and partnership build a strong and representative judiciary. By working closely with judicial officers, court staff, attorneys, government agencies, and community leaders across the state, we deliver programming and engagement that’s intentional, responsive, and impactful.”
The full report is available on the Colorado Judicial Department’s website at www.coloradojudicial.gov/human-resources/judicial-officer-outreach.
The Judicial Officer Outreach Program was created under Colorado SB 19-043 as an initiative unique within Colorado and nationally. Its mission is to support a fair and impartial justice system by ensuring courts reflect their communities through outreach about vacancies and education on applying for judicial roles.
