Colorado Governor Ritter Names Grand, Weld County Judges

August 22, 2007 -- Colorado Governor Bill Ritter today announced he has appointed four new county court judges – one in Grand County and three in Weld County.

Ben W. McClelland of Granby will take up his new post as a Grand County Court judge after serving for the past two years as a Hot Sulphur Springs municipal judge. He has been a public administrator for the 14th Judicial District since 2001 and has run a solo practice since 1994. McClelland earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wyoming in 1990 and his law degree from the same institution in 1994.

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Gov. Ritter named the following three people to the Weld County Court bench: Timothy G. Kerns of Erie, Michele L. Meyer of Greeley and Dana J. Nichols of Greeley.

Kerns is currently the managing partner at Coleman, Liu, Lyons, & Collins, LLP. He previously worked for Crespin, Kerns & Furman LLC (1996 to 2004), the Lend-a-Lawyer Program in Fort Morgan (1995), and for the general counsel of the U.S. Title Company (1994 to 1995). He received his bachelor’s degree from Central Methodist College in 1991 and his law degree from the University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Law in 1994.

Meyer has served as a chief deputy district attorney in Weld County since graduating from law school in 1999. She supervises six deputies and handles a felony caseload. Meyer earned her bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University in 1996 and her law degree from the University of Denver in 1999.

Since 2003, Nichols has practiced with the Greeley Regional Office as a Colorado state public defender. Nichols also worked as a public defender in the Pueblo Trial Office (1995 to 1996), the Colorado Springs Trial Office (1996 to 1998), and the Appellate Division (1998 to 2000). She worked in the private sector with Kennedy & Christopher, P.C. (2000 to 2003). Nichols earned her bachelor’s degree from CSU in 1991 and her law degree from the University of Colorado School of Law in 1994.

The initial term of office for a county judge is a provisional term of approximately two years, and then until the second Tuesday in January following the next general election.

Source: Colorado Governor