Crowley County Judge Jeremy P. Boyce resigned Oct. 9, stepping down before voters could decide whether to retain him in November after a citizen-led commission recommended against keeping him on the bench. The Colorado Judicial Branch announced the resignation Oct. 12. Boyce had been appointed to the county court in 2023 and was due to face voters for the first time this year. The position is part time and does not require a law degree. In its evaluation, the commission said Boyce was inefficient, did not issue orders promptly, became improperly involved in plea negotiations and disregarded established law. Commissioners also said he showed little improvement after receiving feedback and support from two mentors. Boyce was the only one of three judges statewide who received an unfavorable recommendation whose commission members were unanimous in their concerns. The commission did not release survey responses from attorneys and members of the public, saying the available data was insufficient. Boyce acknowledged shortcomings in a written response, saying he had failed to meet his obligations to Crowley County residents and had affected court staff and people who appeared before him. He accepted responsibility and said he regretted the commission’s decision. The vacancy will be filled through an appointment by Gov. Jared Polis. A separate citizen-led nominating commission is scheduled to interview candidates Nov. 3 and send up to three finalists to the governor. Applications are due Oct. 26. Judges facing unfavorable retention recommendations have sometimes left before an election, but Boyce is the first in recent years to resign after a negative evaluation became public. In the last three election cycles, performance commissions recommended that three judges did not meet standards; voters removed one. In 2022, voters also rejected a judge who had received a largely favorable evaluation. The appointment process will determine who serves Crowley County’s court after Boyce’s departure, while the commission’s findings put judicial performance and public accountability at the center of the transition.