| Susan Blanco appointed Chief Judge of the 8th Judicial District |
Friday, October 23, 2020
DENVER – Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan B. Coats has appointed the Honorable Susan Blanco to serve as Chief Judge of the 8th Judicial District (Jackson and Larimer counties), effective Jan. 12, 2021, upon the retirement of Chief Judge Stephen E. Howard.
Judge Howard was appointed to the 8th Judicial District Court in January 2011. Prior to his appointment, he worked for the law firm Fischer and Wilmarth as a business and real estate litigation attorney. He received his undergraduate degree from Colorado College and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Colorado School of Law.
“I would like to thank Chief Judge Howard for his service and wish him well in retirement,” Chief Justice Coats said. “I am pleased to appoint Judge Blanco as the next Chief Judge for the 8th Judicial District and am confident she will be a solid leader.”
Judge Blanco took the bench in January 2017. Prior to that, she served as a Deputy District Attorney in the 8th Judicial District and then was in private practice from 2007 to 2017. In private practice she predominately worked on criminal cases, juvenile delinquency cases, dependency and neglect matters and municipal prosecution. Judge Blanco received her undergraduate degree from Colorado State University in 2000 and her Juris Doctorate from University of Colorado School of Law in 2003.
As Chief Judge, Blanco will serve as the administrative head of the 8th Judicial District, responsible for appointing the Court Executive, Chief Probation Officer and Clerk of Court, assisting in the personnel, financial and case-management duties of the district, and seeing that the business of the courts is conducted efficiently and effectively.