Michelle Chostner

Michelle Chostner was appointed to the Tenth Judicial District Court in Pueblo in March 2023. She hears domestic relations and district court civil cases.

She earned her bachelor's degree summa cum laude from the University of Colorado, Boulder, in 2004 and her law degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 2008. She then worked in the Adams, Arapahoe and Pueblo district attorney's offices, where she was promoted to senior deputy district attorney. In 2021 she was appointed a magistrate in Pueblo, handling truancy, civil and probate matters. She teaches law courses, serves on the judicial education subcommittee and volunteers on community boards, including the library board.

The Tenth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance voted 10 to 0 that she meets performance standards. The commission writes that she "is well prepared for cases before her bench" and that her orders are "well researched and thorough", though "sometimes very long and would benefit from being more concise to encourage understanding." Her demeanor, the commission finds, "is calm and respectful; she strives to treat all court participants equally, bringing a sense of dignity to proceedings before her."

The commission writes that Judge Chostner "clearly cares about communicating the legal process to those not represented by attorneys, though some members of the commission are concerned that she may over-explain the process to ensure understanding and fairness which delays the proceedings unnecessarily." It adds that she regularly conducts legal research, keeps up with new laws and attends trainings in the areas of law she presides over.