Herbert L. Stern III
Trial Court · Denver · Denver
Meets Standards(Retain)2 cycles on record
Evaluation history
- 1998 retention cycleTrial Court · Denver · DenverMeets Standards(Retain)VotersRetained· 72.0% yes78,092 yes · 30,320 no50% needed to retainRetention Year: 1998 Recommendation: Retain The Second Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance recommends that Judge Herbert L. Stern, III BE RETAINED. Judge Stern has been on the bench since June 1990 after more than ten years as an attorney, working as a public defender and maintaining a private law practice. Judge Stern graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Denver Law School. Judge Stern is currently hearing civil cases primarily involving money damages. Judge Stern concentrates on early identification of problem cases and problem issues in cases, and seeks to resolve high conflict cases with early judicial intervention. The Commission finds, based upon survey results, a personal interview, and observing Judge Stern's performance on the bench, that he blends a business-like approach to problem solving with a sensitivity to the human factors in a case. Attorney survey results indicate that 93% of attorneys voted to retain, and 7% voted not to retain.
- 1992 retention cycleTrial Court · Denver · DenverMeets Standards(Retain)VotersRetained· 73.3% yes73,740 yes · 26,792 no50% needed to retainRetention Year: 1992 Recommendation: Retain Judge Stern graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a major in Sociology in 1970, and received his law degree from the University of Denver in 1977. He was admitted to the Bar in 1978. He spent eight years in private practice, gaining what he feels is a broad perspective in understanding and appreciating the positions of litigants and attorneys who appear before him. Judge Stern was appointed to the District Court in 1990, assigned to the Civil Division. The Commission received mixed reviews on Judge Stern from the attorneys, litigants and court personnel polled. In most instances he received high marks for communication skills, diligence, demeanor, fairness, knowledge of the law and promptness of rulings, while in some instances he was criticized for not moving his docket and being impatient. The lack of more support staff in Judge Stern’s opinion, is a hindrance to moving his docket faster, and he agrees he is sometimes impatient. The 2nd Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance recommends that Judge Herbert L. Stern, III be retained.
Surveys & reports
No survey reports on record for this judge.
Sources
- 1998 evaluation on OJPE · scraped Apr 17, 2026
- 1992 evaluation on OJPE · scraped Apr 17, 2026