Starritt appointed new 7th Judicial District judge

The 7th Judicial District, which includes Gunnison County, has a new district judge. On May 15, Gov. Jared Polis appointed Kellie Starritt to the 7th Judicial District Court. Starritt filled a vacancy at the start of July left by Judge J. Steven Patrick, who retired after 33 years of serving western Colorado on the bench.

The 7th is made up of six counties in west-central Colorado: Delta, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Montrose, Ouray and San Miguel. It encompasses approximately 10,000 square miles, and its largest cities are Delta, Montrose and Gunnison. The district has 65 full- or part-time employees, and it’s operating budget is approximately $6.3 million, according to a 2023 district overview.

Five district court judges oversee the 7th. These judges handle more serious cases, including felonies, and those that exceed certain financial limits. This can include domestic relations, criminal, juvenile, mental health, probate and civil suits. Seven county court judges are responsible for smaller civil cases, traffic infractions, and misdemeanors.

Before stepping onto the district judge bench, Starritt served the 7th as a district court magistrate since 2017. Magistrates handle dependency/neglect, domestic relations and emergency protective orders cases, usually in Delta and Montrose counties. Starritt’s docket consisted primarily of domestic matters, according to a May 15 press release from the Governor's Office.

Starritt earned her bachelor's degree from Marquette University in 1990 and her J.D. from the University of Wyoming College of Law in 1995. Prior to being a magistrate, she worked for years in Mesa County as an assistant county attorney. She later became the chief county deputy attorney for the Human Services Division in the Mesa County Attorney's Office. She also did several years in private practice.

Starritt will serve an initial provisional term of two years, and then face a formal election. If elected, she will serve a six-year term.

(Abby Harrison can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or abby@gunnisontimes.com.)