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 Thomas W. Henderson MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS . The Colorado statutory judicial performance criteria are integrity, legal knowledge, communication skills, judicial temperament, administrative performance and service to the legal profession and the public.
After meeting with Judge Henderson, and after reviewing his work and assessing feedback from attorneys and non-attorneys, the Commission was unanimous that Judge Henderson meets the judicial performance standards. His work is exceptional, with his overall performance strong enough to gain unanimous support from the Commissioners participating in the process. The Commission believes Judge Henderson effectively applies the law to the facts before him. He is also effective regarding case management, communication and administration. Judge Henderson is consistently described as respectful, fair, careful and reasoned, very knowledgeable in the Rules of Evidence, and able to handle complex cases. He is noted to have a very pleasant courtroom demeanor. Judge Henderson is the Arapahoe District Court’s Presiding Civil Judge. During a time of transition of many of the judges in the 18th Judicial District, Judge Henderson assisted with a smooth transition due to strong leadership and communication skills. He expressed one of his priorities was equal respect for those represented by counsel and pro se parties alike. He is cognizant of the need to take extra time with pro se parties to make sure they understand his rulings. Based on all the considerations, the Judicial Performance Commission recommends that Judge Henderson meets performance standards and should be retained.
The Commission conducted a personal interview with Judge Henderson, reviewed opinions he authored, observed him in court, reviewed comments from interested parties during the evaluation, and reviewed survey responses from attorneys and non-attorneys who had experience with Judge Henderson. 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 Henderson was appointed to the District Court in 2023 after a 35-year career as a civil litigator. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Whitman College in 1983 and graduated from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 1987. He has been married for 38 years and enjoys skiing, cheering for his wife’s alma mater at football games and supports the Denver Center for Performing Arts. He is very involved with the Arapahoe County Bar Association. He is the co-chair of the Access to Justice Committee and was the Bar Association’s president in 2020-2021. He frequently participates as a judge in the Bar Association’s annual high school mock trial competition.
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