Justice of the Colorado Supreme Court: Retain Justice Nathan B. Coats

Justice of the Colorado Supreme Court — Nathan B. Coats

Retain

Do not retain

Justice Nathan B. Coats wasn’t an easy decision. Critics say Coats sometimes seems to favor law enforcement, and he cast several votes we aren’t happy with — like voting that CU-Boulder’s regents couldn’t keep concealed weapons off campus and that Ward Churchill couldn’t have his job back at CU. But we looked beyond particular opinions to endorse based on judges’ fairness and respect for the law.

The Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation says he has both those things. And its survey results say 70 percent of attorneys and 94 percent of judges who know Coats recommended he be retained. Only one judge out of 100 recommended against it.

They can’t all be rock stars, but they all have to be at least adequate. So we endorse retention for Coats, who is described in the COJPE survey as fair, knowledgeable and thoughtful. Coats was appointed in 2000 by Gov. Bill Owens and won a retention vote in 2002.

Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com