Seven Questions
| Jurisdiction | Colorado,United States |
| Citation | Vol. 51 No. 6 Pg. 18 |
| Pages | 18 |
| Publication year | 2022 |
BY MARIA E. BERKENKOTTER
As I sit down to write this, I am struck by the roller coaster of events that have occurred during this series' short existence. When the series first appeared in January, Omicron was on the rise, and courts were again grappling with how to keep cases moving while also keeping litigants, court staff, attorneys, witnesses, and judges safe. Since then, COVID numbers have plummeted in Colorado, most—if not all— courthouses have lifted mask mandates, and jury trials have resumed throughout the state. But, of course, no one knows what the future holds as COVID numbers once again begin to climb in the United States—this time due to new Omicron variants.
It is difficult to describe the extraordinary degree of flexibility and innovation by judges, staff, and attorneys that has been necessary over the past two years and that will continue to be necessary as everyone works hard to dig out of the large backlog of cases caused by various COVID-related restrictions. I am happy to be able to introduce you, ever so briefly, to another three of our "newish" Colorado judges who are doing that hard work: District Court Judge Vincente G. Vigil, Court of Appeals Judge David Yun, and County Court Judge Melina Hernandez.
Vincente G. Vigil
The Honorable Vincente G. Vigil is a district court judge in the 19th Judicial District. Judge Vigil was formerly an attorney with the Law Office of Robert Ray, which he joined in 2014. Prior to 2014, he was a partner at Man & Vigil and a deputy state public defender in the Greeley Office. Judge Vigil earned his undergraduate degree from Colorado State University in 2005 and his JD from the University of Colorado Law School in 2008.
Best thing about the job:
I have lived in Weld County virtually all my life, and I feel tremendously lucky to serve in the community that has given me so much over the years.
Most challenging thing about the job:
I underestimated how mentally fatiguing the job can be. Being an active listener is a skill that is necessary for this job, and it is something that requires a deliberate level of conscious effort that can be hard to maintain over a busy eight-hour day. Thankfully, you get better with practice.
Advice to new judges you wish someone had told you:
You will dictate the environment in your courtroom. As an attorney, I have walked into courtrooms where it felt like I was walking...
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