Sara Garrido

The First Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously agrees by a vote of (10-0) that Judge Sara Garrido MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS .

Judge Garrido was appointed to the Jefferson County Court bench in April 2020. Her docket is a mix of civil (90%) and small claims cases (10%). Judge Garrido is responsible for a large volume of cases, many of which involve pro se (unrepresented) parties and emotional issues, such as evictions and contract disputes. Judge Garrido strives to treat all parties with dignity and respect, regardless of background, and communicates that all parties will be heard and treated with consideration whether they are attorneys or unrepresented parties. Survey results describe her as able to show compassion to parties while still following the law and issuing fair rulings. She is described as knowledgeable, decisive, patient, and highly organized. In this review period, Judge Garrido has improved her knowledge of evictions law and procedure to the point where she is consulted by other judges in the state on evictions issues. Judge Garrido and her staff ensure parties know what to expect when they come to court, through issuing written instructions and informing them of additional information sources such as the Court Resource Center and judicial website. She uses Webex to ensure accessibility to hearings. In the next review period, her goals include ongoing judicial education and continuing to improve court management procedures that demonstrate fairness and impartiality to both sides, particularly those cases in which one side is represented by an attorney and the other side is not.

The Commission conducted an interview with Judge Garrido, reviewed opinions she authored, observed her in court, considered feedback from the Chief Judge, and reviewed the 2025 Judicial Performance Survey Report from attorneys and non-attorneys appearing before her. Based on the Commission’s evaluation, Judge Garrido meets or exceeds performance standards in all categories under review.

Judge Garrido received a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of Miami, Florida. She worked as an ICU nurse before starting law school at the University of Colorado School of Law, where she earned a Juris Doctor degree. Before taking the bench, Judge Garrido was a public defender in Jefferson County for 12 years, then opened a solo practice specializing in criminal, juvenile, and dependency and neglect law. She is a member of the Judicial Discipline Commission, the Access to Justice Housing Subcommittee, and the Housing Forms Subcommittee.

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