JUDICIAL RECEPTION

ANNUAL JUDICIAL EXCELLENCE AWARD

Each year, the CWBA is proud to honor all members of the Colorado judiciary at our Annual Judicial Reception, and honor specific judicial official(s) for their meaningful work.

Judicial Reception Honorees:

2014 Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Karen Ashby

2013 Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Diana Terry

2012 C. Jean Stewart, Former Denver Probate Judge

2011 Denver County Judge Claudia J. Jordan

2010 Denver District Court Judge Christina M. Habas

2009 18th Judicial District Court Judge Angela R. Arkin

2008 Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Sandra I. Rothenberg

2007 Denver Juvenile Court Judge Orrelle Rodgers Weeks

2006 Pueblo County Court Judge Adele K. Anderson and Denver County Court Judge Mary Celeste

2005 U S District Court Magistrate Judge Patricia A. Coan and Denver District Court Judge John Coughlin
2004 Colorado Supreme Court Justice Nancy Rice and Boulder County Court Magistrate Kristina Hansson
2003 18th Judicial District Court Judge Cheryl Post

2002 First (Jefferson County) Judicial District Court Judge Ruthanne Polidori

2001 Boulder District Court Chief Judge Roxanne Bailin and Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Aurel Kelly (in memoriam)

2000 Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary J. Mullarkey and Denver County Court Judge Alfred C. Harrell, Jr.

1999 Magistrate Judge Pamela A. Gagel and Denver District Court Judge Shelley I. Gilman

1998 Colorado Court of Appeals Judge JoAnn Vogt and U. S. District Court Judge Zita Weinshienk

1997 District Court Judge Patti O’Rourke

1995 Colorado Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Love Kourlis

1994 U. S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and 10th Circuit of Appeals Chief Judge Stephanie K. Seymour

1993 U. S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Patricia Clark and U. S. District Court Judge Zita Weinshienk

1992 Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Joseph Quinn (retired)

1991 District Court Judge Joyce Steinhardt

1990 Aleene Ortiz-White

1988 Janice B. Fischbach

1987 Jean E. Dubofsky and Mary J. Mullarkey

Each year, the CWBA is proud to honor all members of the Colorado judiciary at our Annual Judicial Reception, and honor specific judicial official(s) for their meaningful work.

Judicial Reception Honorees:

2014 Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Karen Ashby

2013 Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Diana Terry

2012 C. Jean Stewart, Former Denver Probate Judge

2011 Denver County Judge Claudia J. Jordan

2010 Denver District Court Judge Christina M. Habas

2009 18th Judicial District Court Judge Angela R. Arkin

2008 Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Sandra I. Rothenberg

2007 Denver Juvenile Court Judge Orrelle Rodgers Weeks

2006 Pueblo County Court Judge Adele K. Anderson and Denver County Court Judge Mary Celeste

2005 U S District Court Magistrate Judge Patricia A. Coan and Denver District Court Judge John Coughlin
2004 Colorado Supreme Court Justice Nancy Rice and Boulder County Court Magistrate Kristina Hansson
2003 18th Judicial District Court Judge Cheryl Post

2002 First (Jefferson County) Judicial District Court Judge Ruthanne Polidori

2001 Boulder District Court Chief Judge Roxanne Bailin and Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Aurel Kelly (in memoriam)

2000 Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary J. Mullarkey and Denver County Court Judge Alfred C. Harrell, Jr.

1999 Magistrate Judge Pamela A. Gagel and Denver District Court Judge Shelley I. Gilman

1998 Colorado Court of Appeals Judge JoAnn Vogt and U. S. District Court Judge Zita Weinshienk

1997 District Court Judge Patti O’Rourke

1995 Colorado Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Love Kourlis

1994 U. S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and 10th Circuit of Appeals Chief Judge Stephanie K. Seymour

1993 U. S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Patricia Clark and U. S. District Court Judge Zita Weinshienk

1992 Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Joseph Quinn (retired)

1991 District Court Judge Joyce Steinhardt

1990 Aleene Ortiz-White

1988 Janice B. Fischbach

1987 Jean E. Dubofsky and Mary J. Mullarkey

Each year, the CWBA is proud to honor all members of the Colorado judiciary at our Annual Judicial Reception, and honor specific judicial official(s) for their meaningful work.

Judicial Reception Honorees:

2014 Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Karen Ashby

2013 Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Diana Terry

2012 C. Jean Stewart, Former Denver Probate Judge

2011 Denver County Judge Claudia J. Jordan

2010 Denver District Court Judge Christina M. Habas

2009 18th Judicial District Court Judge Angela R. Arkin

2008 Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Sandra I. Rothenberg

2007 Denver Juvenile Court Judge Orrelle Rodgers Weeks

2006 Pueblo County Court Judge Adele K. Anderson and Denver County Court Judge Mary Celeste

2005 U S District Court Magistrate Judge Patricia A. Coan and Denver District Court Judge John Coughlin
2004 Colorado Supreme Court Justice Nancy Rice and Boulder County Court Magistrate Kristina Hansson
2003 18th Judicial District Court Judge Cheryl Post

2002 First (Jefferson County) Judicial District Court Judge Ruthanne Polidori

2001 Boulder District Court Chief Judge Roxanne Bailin and Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Aurel Kelly (in memoriam)

2000 Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary J. Mullarkey and Denver County Court Judge Alfred C. Harrell, Jr.

1999 Magistrate Judge Pamela A. Gagel and Denver District Court Judge Shelley I. Gilman

1998 Colorado Court of Appeals Judge JoAnn Vogt and U. S. District Court Judge Zita Weinshienk

1997 District Court Judge Patti O’Rourke

1995 Colorado Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Love Kourlis

1994 U. S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and 10th Circuit of Appeals Chief Judge Stephanie K. Seymour

1993 U. S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Patricia Clark and U. S. District Court Judge Zita Weinshienk

1992 Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Joseph Quinn (retired)

1991 District Court Judge Joyce Steinhardt

1990 Aleene Ortiz-White

1988 Janice B. Fischbach

1987 Jean E. Dubofsky and Mary J. Mullarkey

Each year, the CWBA is proud to honor all members of the Colorado judiciary at our Annual Judicial Reception, and honor specific judicial official(s) for their meaningful work.

Judicial Reception Honorees:

2014 Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Karen Ashby

2013 Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Diana Terry

2012 C. Jean Stewart, Former Denver Probate Judge

2011 Denver County Judge Claudia J. Jordan

2010 Denver District Court Judge Christina M. Habas

2009 18th Judicial District Court Judge Angela R. Arkin

2008 Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Sandra I. Rothenberg

2007 Denver Juvenile Court Judge Orrelle Rodgers Weeks

2006 Pueblo County Court Judge Adele K. Anderson and Denver County Court Judge Mary Celeste

2005 U S District Court Magistrate Judge Patricia A. Coan and Denver District Court Judge John Coughlin
2004 Colorado Supreme Court Justice Nancy Rice and Boulder County Court Magistrate Kristina Hansson
2003 18th Judicial District Court Judge Cheryl Post

2002 First (Jefferson County) Judicial District Court Judge Ruthanne Polidori

2001 Boulder District Court Chief Judge Roxanne Bailin and Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Aurel Kelly (in memoriam)

2000 Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary J. Mullarkey and Denver County Court Judge Alfred C. Harrell, Jr.

1999 Magistrate Judge Pamela A. Gagel and Denver District Court Judge Shelley I. Gilman

1998 Colorado Court of Appeals Judge JoAnn Vogt and U. S. District Court Judge Zita Weinshienk

1997 District Court Judge Patti O’Rourke

1995 Colorado Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Love Kourlis

1994 U. S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and 10th Circuit of Appeals Chief Judge Stephanie K. Seymour

1993 U. S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Patricia Clark and U. S. District Court Judge Zita Weinshienk

1992 Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Joseph Quinn (retired)

1991 District Court Judge Joyce Steinhardt

1990 Aleene Ortiz-White

1988 Janice B. Fischbach

1987 Jean E. Dubofsky and Mary J. Mullarkey

Each year, the CWBA is proud to honor specific judicial official(s) for their meaningful work with our Judicial Excellence Award.

Nominations for the 2027 Judicial Excellence Award are now open and are due October 28, 2026.

Nominate a Judicial Excellence Honoree Here

The honoree will be celebrated at a special awards reception this spring of 2027.

QUESTIONS?

Please contact our Bench Builders Committee Chair(s):

Sarah Babb (sbabb@da17.state.co.us)
Katie Wiese Valiant (kw@rmlawyers.com)

Meet Our 2026 Judicial Excellence Honoree

The Honorable Priscilla Loew
17th Judicial District - District Court

Judge Priscilla "PJ" Loew is a District Court Judge in the Seventeenth Judicial District. She was appointed to the district court in 2017. Prior to her appointment, she served as a District Court Magistrate in the Seventeenth Judicial District, Deputy District Attorney in the Second and Nineteenth Judicial Districts, and a law clerk for the Honorable Larry Naves. She has presided over all case types and stays active in juvenile law by serving on the Juvenile Rules Committee and as the juvenile representative for the Sexual Offender Management Board. She also serves as the judicial representative for the 17th Judicial District Human Trafficking Committee and as a board member for the Colorado Judicial Institute.

The CWBA is grateful for the ongoing and generous financial support of Davis Graham for hosting and sponsoring this award’s presentation each year at the CWBA Annual Judicial Reception.

Past Judicial Reception Honorees

2025 Denver County Court Judge Isabel Pallarés
2024 Denver County Court Judge Olympia Z. Fay
2023 8th Judicial District Chief Judge Susan Blanco
2022 Adams County Court Judge Mariana Vielma
2021 17th Judicial District Court Chief Judge Emily E. Anderson
2019 Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Terry Fox
2018 Denver County Court Judge Theresa A. Spahn
2017 19th Judicial District Court (Weld County) Judge Julie C. Hoskins
2016 U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Kristen L. Mix
2015 Denver County Court Judge Doris E. Burd
2014 Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Karen Ashby
2013 Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Diana Terry
2012 C. Jean Stewart, Former Denver Probate Judge
2011 Denver County Judge Claudia J. Jordan
2010 Denver District Court Judge Christina M. Habas
2009 18th Judicial District Court Judge Angela R. Arkin
2008 Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Sandra I. Rothenberg
2007 Denver Juvenile Court Judge Orrelle Rodgers Weeks
2006 Pueblo County Court Judge Adele K. Anderson and Denver County Court Judge Mary Celeste
2005 U S District Court Magistrate Judge Patricia A. Coan and Denver District Court Judge John Coughlin
2004 Colorado Supreme Court Justice Nancy Rice and Boulder County Court Magistrate Kristina Hansson
2003 18th Judicial District Court Judge Cheryl Post
2002 First (Jefferson County) Judicial District Court Judge Ruthanne Polidori
2001 Boulder District Court Chief Judge Roxanne Bailin and Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Aurel Kelly (in memoriam)
2000 Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary J. Mullarkey and Denver County Court Judge Alfred C. Harrell, Jr.
1999 Magistrate Judge Pamela A. Gagel and Denver District Court Judge Shelley I. Gilman
1998 Colorado Court of Appeals Judge JoAnn Vogt and U. S. District Court Judge Zita Weinshienk
1997 District Court Judge Patti O’Rourke
1995 Colorado Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Love Kourlis
1994 U. S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and 10th Circuit of Appeals Chief Judge Stephanie K. Seymour
1993 U. S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Patricia Clark and U. S. District Court Judge Zita Weinshienk
1992 Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Joseph Quinn (retired)
1991 District Court Judge Joyce Steinhardt
1990 Aleene Ortiz-White
1988 Janice B. (Fischbach) Davidson
1987 Jean E. Dubofsky and Mary J. Mullarkey