Press Release - Three New Judges in 1st JD
OFFICE OF GOV. BILL RITTER, JR.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, JUNE 10, 2008
CONTACT:
Evan Dreyer, 720.350.8370, evan.dreyer@state.co.us
GOV. RITTER NAMES THREE NEW JUDGES IN 1st JUDICIAL DISTRICT
Gov. Bill Ritter today appointed two new judges to the County Court bench and one judge to the District Court bench in the 1st Judicial District, which serves Jefferson and Gilpin counties.
The Jefferson County Court appointees are Verna Lee Carpenter and Susan Lori Fisch, both of Golden, and the District Court appointee is Philip James McNulty of Wheat Ridge.
Carpenter has served as the chief deputy district attorney for the 2nd Judicial District since 2005. As chief deputy, she makes filing and charging decisions, litigates pre- and post-conviction motions, determines appropriate plea offers and tries felony cases. Prior to that, she was the chief deputy district attorney for Denver District Court (2001-2005) and a deputy district attorney in Denver (1992-2001). She earned her bachelor's degree from Metropolitan State College in 1989 and her law degree from Creighton University (1992).
Fisch has served as an assistant federal public defender in Colorado since 2005. She represents indigent clients indicted in criminal cases pending in federal district court. Her prior legal practice includes criminal defense and trial practice work. Before becoming a federal public defender, she worked for the Colorado State Public Defender's Office (1987-2005). She earned her B.S. and B.A. from the University of Denver in 1984 and her law degree from the University of Denver Law School in 1987.
McNulty has served as a Lakewood Municipal Court judge since 1996. He hears cases involving adult and juvenile criminal charges, traffic, zoning, sales tax, animal control charges, and domestic violence cases. Before that, he was a deputy district attorney, in the 1st Judicial District (1988-1999), deputy city attorney in Lakewood (1985-1988), and an associate at the law firm of Silver and Hays (1984-1985). He earned his B.S. and B.A. from Colorado State University in 1981 and his law degree from the University of Denver Law School in 1984.
The appointments are for provisional terms of two years, and then until the second Tuesday in January following the next general election. Thereafter, if retained by the voters, the terms are for six years. The current salary for a District Court judge is $118,972 and $113,856 for a County Court judge.