After 20 years as a 6th Judicial District Judge, Gregory Lyman, well-known for his impartiality, will retire in January.
“He’s going to be sorely missed by the citizens of the 6th Judicial,” said Mike McLachlan, a former colleague.
A touchstone of the judicial evaluation is impartiality, and Lyman received the highest ranking in this area in the state in 2010, said McLachlan, who was chairman of the judicial performance commission.
The ranking is based on surveys sent to many people involved with a judge’s cases, including jurors, witnesses and clerks, he said.
In addition to hearing cases, as the 6th Judicial District chief judge, Lyman oversees the district’s hiring and budgeting. The district covers Archuleta, La Plata and San Juan counties.
A new district chief judge will be selected by the Colorado Supreme Court chief justice with guidance from judges who serve within the district, said Jon Sarché, a spokesman for the Colorado Judicial Branch. The Judicial Branch announced Lyman’s retirement Thursday.
Lyman came to the bench with experience as both a defense attorney and prosecutor. In 1992, he was elected district attorney for the 6th Judicial District.
“He has always maintained a very dignified courtroom,” McLachlan said.
In addition to his law career, Lyman is an accomplished speed-skater. He placed 20th out of 42 skaters in the 500-meter speed-skating event at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan.
Lyman could not immediately be reached for comment about his retirement.
But it is common for judges to retire during an election year, instead of seeking retention on the November ballot, Sarché said.
Gov. John Hickenlooper will appoint a new judge. He will select from a pool of three applicants recommended by a nominating committee.
Seven volunteers from across the district – three lawyers and four residents – are committee members. Colorado Supreme Court Justice Brian D. Boatright will advise the volunteer committee as the nonvoting chairman.
The new judge will earn $159,320 and serve a provisional two-year term. Then the public will vote on whether or not to retain the judge.
All Colorado judges are first appointed, before facing a public retention vote.
mshinn@durangoherald.com
