Chantel E. Contiguglia

The First Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously (10-0) finds Judge Chantel E. Contiguglia MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS .

Judge Contiguglia was appointed to the District Court in Jefferson County on January 1, 2024. She presides over a mixed docket of criminal, civil and domestic relations matters. Judge Contiguglia has been described as prepared, fair, consistent, and respectful with good judicial demeanor and temperament. She is thoughtful and sets clear deadlines and expectations. Her case management was described as efficient; however it was noted her scheduling practices could be inflexible for trial and docket management, which has been perceived by some litigants to overlook practical needs of the parties. During her interim evaluation Judge Contiguglia was given this feedback and since that time, there has been improvement. Judge Contiguglia’s background is predominantly criminal defense work, which is reflected in her acumen with criminal law. Judge Contiguglia is committed to increasing her proficiency in civil and domestic relations law by seeking out colleagues with this expertise and attending continuing legal education in these areas. The Commission finds Judge Contiguglia meets performance standards and is pleased she has committed to increasing her proficiency in civil and domestic relations law.

The commission conducted a personal interview with Judge Contiguglia, reviewed orders she authored, observed her in court, reviewed the judicial performance survey responses from attorneys, non-attorneys, jurors and court staff, and received feedback from the chief judge of the 1st Judicial District, the Office of the District Attorney, and the Office of the State Public Defender. There was a limited number of survey responses for this evaluation period. Five appellate court judges responded to the survey and rated Judge Contiguglia high (4.0 out of 4.0).

Judge Contiguglia grew up in Walden, Colorado, a small town in Jackson County. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Mesa State College and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Denver in 2006. Before her current appointment, she served as a County Court Judge in Arapahoe County for six years. Prior to that Judge Contiguglia spent over ten years with the Colorado State Public Defender’s Office. In addition to her public responsibilities, she remains committed to community service, frequently volunteering at local schools, mentoring young attorneys, and participating in programs that support access to justice.

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