Chief Judge Todd Plewe was reelected today in the 22nd Judicial District, according to preliminary results.
In Montezuma County, 71.44% of voters voted to retain him, and 28.56% voted not to, according to updated results on Nov. 9. In Dolores County, those numbers are 64.12% and 35.88%, respectively.
Plewe was appointed to the district court bench in 2010 and became the chief judge in 2023. Before his appointment, he served as the Montezuma County Court judge from 2002 through 2010.
In his 2024 evaluation, Plewe was described as an “important asset to the judicial district, not only in his role as district court judge, but also as the chief judge of the 22nd Judicial District.”
The evaluation looks at a judge’s performance in the areas of “integrity, legal knowledge, communication skills, judicial temperament, administration performance and service to the legal profession and the public.”
“The Commission considers Judge Plewe to be an important asset to the judicial district not only in his role as a district court judge but also as the chief judge of the 22nd Judicial District. Judge Plewe is consistently prepared and very knowledgeable in the subject matters over which he presides. He actively listens to people appearing in court and communicates well with the parties to ensure that each understands his reasoning and the legal basis and procedures that guide his decisions,” the review added.
Before he became a judge, he had a private law practice. He received his juris doctorate from the University of Colorado School of Law in 1997, according to the Colorado Judicial website. He and his wife have five children, and Plewe is active in his community, church and the local school district. He has also coached golf at Montezuma-Cortez high School for 11 years, according to the review.
Some of the recent cases that Plewe has been part of in the district are last year’s street shooting near Empire Street, Scott Chilleen’s vehicular homicide case, Shyanne Boyd’s murder case, Kaylee Saunders’ murder case, and “Cowboy” Williams’ case.
