Judge David R. Lass to retire from the 5th Judicial District bench

There will soon be a bench opening in the Fifth Judicial District.

The vacancy will be created by the retirement of Judge David R. Lass on August 31.

The Fifth Judicial District Nominating Commission will meet Thursday, July 31, at the Summit County Justice Center in Breckenridge to interview and select nominees for appointment by the governor. The Fifth Judicial District covers Eagle, Clear Creek, Lake and Summit counties.

To be eligible for appointment, applicants must be qualified electors of the Fifth Judicial District and must have been admitted to the practice of law in Colorado for five years. The annual salary for this position is $128,598.

The initial term of office of a district judge is a provisional term of two years. Thereafter, the incumbent district judge serves a six-year term subject to approval by the voters.

Application forms are available from the office of the ex officio chair of the nominating commission: Justice Michael L. Bender, 2 East 14th Ave., Denver, Colo. 80203; and the office of the district administrator: Christina Yuhas, Summit County Justice Center, 501 N. Park Ave., Breckenridge, CO 80424. Applications also are available on the court’s home page at http://www.courts.state.co.us/exec/media/vacancy.htm.

The original and seven copies of the application must be filed with the ex officio chair no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, July 21. Late applications will not be considered.

Any person wishing to suggest a candidate to fill the vacancy may do so by letter to be submitted to any member of the nominating commission, with a copy to the ex officio chair, no later than July 14.

Applications will be kept confidential but the nominating commission will disclose the names, work addresses and work telephone numbers of nominees submitted to the governor.

The members of the nominating commission for the Fifth Judicial District are: Stephen West, Breckenridge; Heather Lemon, Vail; Mary Ann Miller and Maria Cecilia Smythe, Leadville; Katalin Spangler, Edwards; Peggy Stokstad, Evergreen; and Leonard Gelman, Frisco.