James R. McDonald

James R. McDonald was appointed to the Hinsdale County Court in May 2020. He hears civil and criminal cases. Voters retained him in 2022 with 84.63 percent of the votes cast on the question: 336 yes and 61 no. He has practiced law privately for nearly thirty years. He was appointed Gunnison Municipal Judge in May 2005, still serves as a municipal judge in five Colorado municipalities and is a weekend bond hearing magistrate for the state. He earned his undergraduate degree at the University of California at Berkeley and his law degree at Vermont Law School.

The Seventh Judicial District Judicial Performance Commission voted 9 to 0 that he meets performance standards, with one vacancy on the commission. The commission writes that Judge McDonald "was prepared for his hearings and generally did a good job of ensuring that all within his court room understood the proceedings and the matter at hand." It also writes that he "was observed as having a bit of an informal or colloquial approach, which while appreciated by some, was noted as being a bit too informal by others."