Oct. 28, 2024, FAIRPLAY, Colo. – Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Monica M. Márquez has appointed the Hon. Amanda Hunter to serve as chief judge in the 11th Judicial District (Chaffee, Custer, Fremont and Park counties).

As of Oct. 29, Judge Hunter will replace the Hon. Patrick W. Murphy, who was appointed as a district judge in 2012 and has served as chief judge since 2015. Chief Judge Murphy recently announced his upcoming retirement.

“Chief Judge Murphy is an institution in Colorado’s judiciary and will be greatly missed,” Chief Justice Márquez said. “We wish him the best in his upcoming and well-deserved retirement. We also look forward to working with Judge Hunter in her new capacity as chief judge.”

Judge Hunter was appointed to the District Court bench on Nov. 8, 2022. She previously served as the Custer County Court Judicial Officer and as a public defender in the Salida regional office. She received her law degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2011.  

As chief judge, Judge Hunter will serve as the administrative head of the district, responsible for appointing the court executive, chief probation officer and clerk of court, assisting in personnel, financial, and case-management duties, and seeing that the business of the courts and probation is conducted efficiently and effectively.

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