LAW WEEK COLORADO
DENVER — A Jefferson County chief deputy district attorney on Wednesday was named by Gov. Bill Ritter to fill a vacancy on the Jefferson County District Court.
Christie Bachmeyer Phillips of Evergreen won the nod over two other finalists. She succeeds M.J. Menendez, who returned to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Denver after two years on the bench.
Ritter, a former prosecutor, has appointed a number of current prosecutors to district and county benches. But more of his appointments have come from lower-level judges whom he’s promoted to higher posts.
The Democratic governor also has appointed a slightly higher percentage of women to the bench than his predecessor, Republican Gov. Bill Owens.
A telephone call to Phillips wasn’t immediately returned. DA’s spokeswoman Pam Russell said Phillips, one of seven chief deputies, was working to coordinate her move to the bench. Phillips’ appointment is effectively immediately.
Phillips works full-time as a criminal prosecutor where she has been since 1993.
Her work with the District Attorney’s office has included: misdemeanor and traffic cases, juvenile court, and domestic violence cases.
Before joining the DA’s office, Phillips was an associate civil litigator for Weller Friedrich Ward & Andrew (1989-1993).
She earned her B.A. from CSU Fresno (1980) and her J.D. from the University of Colorado (1989).