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FIRST JUO!CIAL DISRTICT 100 JEFFERSON COUNTY PARKWAY

GOLDEN, COLORADO 80401-6002

R. BROOKE JACKSON
JUDGE

August 30, 2011 Supreme Court Nominating Committee, Chief Justice Michael Bender, Ex Officio Chair 101 West Colfax Avenue, Suite 800 Denver, Co, 80202 Re: Hon. Brian Boatright Dear Chief Justice Bender and Members of the Committee: I am writing to recommend District Judge Brian Boatright for your consideration as you evaluate nominees to fill the Supreme Court vacancy created by Justice Martinez' retirement. I know that he applied for the last vacancy on the Court, and I was pleased to learn this morning that he is applying again. I first knew Brian as a Deputy District Attorney in the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office. On the occasions when he appeared before me, he was prepared, reasonable, a skilled advocate, and above all, a true professional. He enjoyed an excellent reputation with the other judges as well. I was delighted when he was appointed to the district bench here in 1999. During his first two years Brian had a mixed criminal, civil and domestic relations docket, typical of the district judges here, Then from 2001 through approximately 2005 his docket was adjusted somewhat, primarily consisting of civil, juvenile, probate and mental health cases. In 2006 I assigned Brian to be our full-time juvenile judge, and he has remained in that position to this time. Brian requested this assignment because of his experience in handling juvenile matters and his deep commitment to children. In addition to being a superb juvenile judge, Brian has headed juvenile committees in Jefferson County and is constantly working with others inside and outside Jefferson County to advance practices and procedures to better serve children and families. One example is that he created our Family Integrated or 'FIT" Court, which is essentially a juvenile counterpart to our adult drug court. Another example is a Best Practices Team, which is a collaborative team that looks at practices. procedures and programs to improve services for families. Brian is bright, a wonderful writer. and a diligent worker. He has an exemplary judicial demeanor. One indicator of that is that when judges around the state who were up for retention

in 2008 were ranked according to the numerical scores they received in the retention surveys (a practice that I thought was unfortunate and that was abandoned after the one year), he came in second among some 70 plus judges. Another indicator is that he has for several years taught at the orientation session for new judges and magistrates, sometimes known colloquially as the "baby judge" school. Yet another indicator is that Brian has several times been called upon by the Chief Justice or the State Court Administrator's Otlice to testify before legislative committees on issues of importance to the Judicial Branch. You will have numerous excellent and well qualified applicants, and of course, I am not in a position to know who will apply or to make any comparisons. I can only say that Brian would bring the qualities discussed above, including years of experience as a trial lawyer and trial judge, to the position. He would be a big loss to the First Judicial District but, I believe, a tine addition to our highest court.

Sincerely,

R. Brooke Jackson