Tamara McSherry Sullivan

Tamara McSherry Sullivan is the Costilla County Court judge. A native of Cortez, she earned a bachelor's degree in English from Regis University in 2006, a master's degree in environmental law and policy from Vermont Law School in 2007 and her law degree from the University of Denver in 2012. Before her appointment she spent a decade as a staff attorney with Colorado Legal Services in the San Luis Valley, and the commission notes her background in managing a legal office.

The Twelfth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance voted 6 to 0 that she meets performance standards, with two commissioners absent and two vacancies on the commission. Survey respondents praised her patience, professional demeanor and "nuanced understanding of the human element in legal disputes", the commission writes. In her self-evaluation she describes a commitment to "promoting access to justice" and "maintaining patience and neutrality". The commission reports high marks for "organizational aptitude" and "administrative performance" and calls its finding "a strong validation of her goal" to provide a "fair and respectful courtroom environment for all individuals."

The commission writes that her office as county court judge gives her no authority over the management, oversight or policy of the Costilla County Sheriff's Office or any other law enforcement agency, and that she is "not involved in the administrative decisions or broader law enforcement activities currently occurring within Costilla County."