Christopher C. Zenisek

Christopher C. Zenisek was appointed to the First Judicial District Court in December 2011. He presides over a mixed docket of criminal, civil and domestic relations cases in Jefferson County and serves on the court's Leadership Committee. The Chief Justice appointed him to preside over the Marshall Fire cases, which he handled while keeping a full caseload. Voters retained him in 2020 with 73.94 percent of the votes cast on the question: 221,492 yes and 78,074 no.

Before joining the bench he was an assistant district attorney in the 20th Judicial District. Earlier he practiced with Brownstein Hyatt Farber Shreck and, before that, clerked for Chief Judge Lewis Babcock of the U.S. District Court. He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado and a law degree from the University of Denver. He serves with several bar organizations and Colorado Supreme Court committees, and in 2026 he was one of three finalists nominated for an appointment to the Colorado Supreme Court.

The First Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance voted 10 to 0 that he meets performance standards. The commission writes that he "meets or exceeds performance standards in all categories under review" and "is consistently described as thoughtful, prepared, thorough, and fair." It adds: "His rulings are timely, clear, and carefully considered, reflecting strong judgment, impartiality, and accountability, and he manages complex cases with diligence and skill."