The Colorado Judicial Branch on May 22 announced Judge Anthony Navarro decided not to stand for retention in 2024. A vacancy for his Colorado Court of Appeals judgeship will occur on Jan. 14, 2025. The Supreme Court Nominating Commission will meet Aug. 8 to interview and select nominees for appointment by the governor.
Navarro has served as a judge for the appeals court since January 2013. Before that, he was a supervisory attorney in the Social Security Administration’s Office of the General Counsel in Denver. He also previously worked at Holland & Hart in Denver.
Navarro in 2016 met the performance standard for his retention evaluation. Of attorneys asked if Navarro should be retained, 65% said yes, 25% said no and 9% made no recommendation about retention. According to the evaluation, 100% of judges recommended retaining Navarro.
Navarro’s 2016 evaluation scores were reportedly “strong in the area of treating parties equally regardless of race, sex, or economic status and in being prepared for oral argument.” But the evaluation noted, “His scores were below average for being fair and impartial toward each side of the case, making reasoned decisions based upon law and facts, and refraining from issues that need not be decided.”
The issues were also raised with Navarro at his interim evaluation in 2015, according to the evaluation. The Commission noted it believed he was making progress in improving these areas. His 2015 interim report noted he scored a 2.98 in 2014, which the document notes is equivalent to a C grade level.
Navarro received his undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado and his law degree from Yale Law School.