District Court Judge - 19th Judicial District: Timothy Gerard Kerns

What the commission said

The Nineteenth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously agrees by vote of 8-0, with two commissioners absent, that Judge Timothy Gerard Kerns MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.

Judge Kerns currently presides over a criminal docket in District Court in Weld County, Colorado. His performance was evaluated using the following statutory criteria: integrity, legal knowledge, communication skills, judicial temperament, administrative performance, and service to the legal profession and the public. The Commission found that Judge Kerns generally excelled in each category. His personable demeanor produces a courtroom atmosphere focused on respect for everyone involved. His oral rulings from the bench clearly frame the legal issues and reflect a solid knowledge of the law. His written rulings are thorough and intelligently expressed. Furthermore, the Commission found his judicial style to be authentic and thoughtful, and appreciated his ability to adapt to the uniqueness of each case.

The Commission’s conclusions are based on observing Judge Kerns in court, a personal interview, reviewing opinions he authored, and reviewing survey responses from attorneys and non-attorneys who had been involved in cases in his courtroom. Those survey responses produced an overall score of 3.8 out of 4, which is higher than the state average. Additionally, 100% of attorneys and 82% of non-attorneys responding to the survey stated that he meets performance standards. These high marks are consistent with the independent evaluations of Commission members.

Judge Kerns was appointed to the District Court bench in January 2011, after serving three years as a County Court judge. Prior to becoming a judge, he was a partner in a law firm that focused on mediation, family law, dependency and neglect proceedings, and general civil matters. He received his undergraduate degrees from Central Methodist College in 1991. He earned his law degree from the University of Missouri – Kansas City in 1994. Finally, Judge Kerns serves on several community boards, including the Weld County Pretrial Services Board, Weld County Bar Association Board, and Peer to Peer Judicial Coaching Board.

The survey

The share of each group surveyed who said the judge meets performance standards.

• Attorneys100%
• Non-attorneys82%