Michelle Ann Amico

The Eighteenth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance agrees by a vote of 8-0, with one member absent and one vacancy on the Commission, that Judge Michelle Ann Amico 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.

Judge Amico serves as a District Court Judge presiding over civil, probate and criminal matters and she is also the Chief Judge of the district. After meeting with Judge Amico, reviewing her work, and assessing feedback from attorneys and non-attorneys, the Commission was unanimous that Judge Amico meets judicial performance standards. All of Judge Amico’s work is exceptional and she consistently exceeds performance standards. Judge Amico treats everyone who appears before her with dignity, respect and impartiality. Her courtroom is reflective of the personable yet dignified image she projects. She manages her courtroom efficiently, is always prepared, affords participants opportunity to be heard and applies procedural rules and legal standards consistently, promoting fairness and predictability. Judge Amico has a strong grasp of the law and issues understandable and well-reasoned rulings. Judge Amico is described as a tremendous leader who leads by example, and the Commission commends her ability to balance her judicial duties and vast administrative responsibilities while maintaining a high bar of excellence. Based on these findings, the Commission recommends Judge Amico meets performance standards and should be retained.

The Commission conducted a personal interview with Judge Amico, reviewed opinions she authored, observed her in court, reviewed comments received from interested parties during the evaluation, and reviewed survey responses from attorneys and non-attorneys who had experience with Judge Amico. Attorney and non-attorney respondents, although low in response numbers, found no performance issues in any evaluation criteria. This was consistent with the Commission’s overall findings.

Judge Amico was appointed to the District Court bench in 2012. Prior to her appointment, Judge Amico served as a Deputy District Attorney and Chief Deputy District Attorney in Denver. In July 2018, Judge Amico was appointed Chief Judge of the 18th Judicial District. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Arizona in 1989 and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 1993. Judge Amico is a strong proponent of mentoring, community service and furthering judicial education. She volunteers her time with community organizations whose causes she is passionate about, such as the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and Be The Reason Charities; volunteers annually for high school mock trial competitions and Bring Your Kids to Work Day; is the Dean of New Judge Orientation and sits on numerous statewide committees. Judge Amico was honored by the Colorado Judicial Institute as the 2022 District Court Judge of the Year and was the recipient of the Colorado Judicial Branch’s Excellence in Leadership Award in 2025.

1300 Broadway, Suite 220 Denver, Colorado 80203

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