← All judges

Leonard Phillips Plank

Court of Appeals

Meets Standards(Retain)2 cycles on record

Evaluation history

  • 1998 retention cycle
    Court of Appeals
    Meets Standards(Retain)
    VotersRetained· 71.3% yes
    697,819 yes · 280,608 no50% needed to retain
    Retention Year: 1998 Recommendation: Retain The State Commission on Judicial Performance recommends that Judge Leonard P. Plank BE RETAINED. Judge Plank was appointed to the Colorado Court of Appeals in 1988. Prior to his appointment to the Court of Appeals, he served on the Denver District Court, 1974-1988, and the Denver County Court, 1970-1974. He was an attorney for CF&I, 1968-1970, in private practice from 1965-1968, and a Deputy District Attorney in Denver, 1961-1965. Judge Plank is the most experienced judge on the Court of Appeals, and is well respected by his peers. Over the years he has participated on and chaired numerous bar association and Supreme Court committees. He is currently the judicial representative to the Public Employee's Retirement Association Board of Trustees and on the Colorado Bar Association Ethics Committee. He was the first recipient of the Judicial Excellence Award given annually by the Denver Bar Association. Believing strongly in public education about the judiciary, Judge Plank frequently speaks on law-related issues at community programs and on radio and television. He volunteers as a moot court judge for law schools, colleges and high schools. He is known for his sense of humor, which he feels has benefited him over his many years as a judge. Attorney questionnaires received by the State Commission rate Judge Plank highly overall. He received particularly high ratings for his patience, fairness and unbiased treatment of all parties. Of the attorney responses received, 89.8% voted to retain Judge Plank and 10.2% voted not to retain him.
  • 1990 retention cycle
    Court of Appeals
    Meets Standards(Retain)
    VotersRetained· 65.7% yes
    502,222 yes · 261,681 no50% needed to retain
    Retention Year: 1990 Recommendation: Retain Judicial Performance Commission’s recommendation: Should Be Retained. Judge Plank graduated from Regis College in 1954 with a degree in history and sociology. He received his law degree from the University of Denver in 1960 and was admitted to the Colorado bar in 1961. He was a deputy district attorney in Denver from 1961 until 1965, and was engaged in private practice from August 1965 to 1970. Plank served as a county judge for the City and County of Denver from 1970 until 1974, when he was appointed to the District Court for the Second Judicial District. He served as district judge from 1974 until he was appointed to the Colorado Court of Appeals in January 1988. Plank enjoys the reputation of being a superior judge. It was noted by attorneys and trial court judges that Plank is knowledgeable, considerate and conscientious and is among the finest judges on the bench.

Surveys & reports

No survey reports on record for this judge.

Sources