Theresa Slade

Theresa Slade was appointed to the district court in August 2012. She presides over a mixed docket in Elbert County, and during her current term she has also sat in Douglas and Arapahoe counties, hearing criminal, civil, domestic relations, juvenile, mental health and probate cases. Voters retained her in 2020 with 78.83 percent of the votes cast on the question: 383,991 yes and 103,093 no.

Before joining the bench she practiced in the 18th Judicial District as a deputy district attorney, alternate defense counsel, respondent parent counsel and guardian ad litem, served as a municipal and magistrate judge, and ran a firm, Slade & Associates. She holds a bachelor's degree from Colorado State University and a law degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, and as a judge she has served on the Colorado Supreme Court Juvenile Rules Committee.

The Twenty-Third Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously agreed that she meets performance standards, with one commissioner absent and two vacancies on the commission. Twelve attorneys and ten non-attorneys responded to its survey; 82 percent of the attorneys and 60 percent of the non-attorneys answered that she meets performance standards.

The commission writes that "She demonstrates a professional and respectful courtroom demeanor and conducts proceedings in a manner that promotes order and clarity." It finds her written decisions "generally clear, concise, and well reasoned" and describes her as "a diligent judicial officer who manages a demanding docket and remains attentive to changes in the law and courtroom practice."