Press Release - 9th Judicial District Appointment
OFFICE OF GOV. BILL RITTER, JR.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2008
CONTACT:
Evan Dreyer, 720.350.8370, evan.dreyer@state.co.us
GOV. RITTER APPOINTS NEW JUDGE IN 9th JUDICIAL DISTRICT
Gov. Bill Ritter today appointed Gail Hibbard Nichols of Aspen as a District Court judge in the 9th Judicial District, which serves Garfield, Pitkin and Rio Blanco counties.
Nichols has served in the District Attorney's Office in the 9th Judicial District since 2003, as a deputy district attorney from 2003 to 2005 and as chief deputy since 2006. She is responsible for prosecuting juvenile and felony cases. She has previously practiced civil litigation, including cases involving insurance, pharmaceuticals, class-action, gender discrimination, contracts, securities and environmental matters.
Additional experience includes work as a solo practitioner, federal prosecutor, private practitioner and adjunct professor (Seton Hall University, 1989 to 1991).
She received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Colorado in 1972 and her law degree from Vermont Law School in 1980.
The appointment is effective July 1 and the position was created pursuant to House Bill 07-1054. The initial term of office is a provisional term of two years, and then until the second Tuesday in January following the next general election. Thereafter, if retained by the voters, the term is for six years. The current salary for a District Court judge is $118,972.