Who is running for 2nd Judicial District (Denver) District Court, Retention: Judge Michael W.V. Angel in 2026?

District Court Judge, Denver District Court (Second Judicial District (Denver), District Court)

Michael W.V. Angel is the sitting District Court Judge, Denver District Court, standing for a retention vote on the November 3, 2026 ballot¹. Denver District Court Judge since July 2024, presiding over criminal matters². The commission found the judge meets performance standards²⁴.

• Denver District Court Judge since July 2024, presiding over criminal matters²
• Magistrate Judge in Adams County; earlier a federal criminal defense lawyer, a nonprofit lawyer for low-income clients and a deputy district attorney²
• Miami University; Wake Forest University School of Law²
• Colorado judges are first appointed by the governor to a provisional term and then stand for retention³. Michael W.V. Angel was appointed to the Denver District Court in July 2024². This is a retention election: voters decide yes or no on keeping the sitting judge, and no opponent is on the ballot¹.
• Bar poll: Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, 2026 evaluation: the page prints "Recommendation: Meets Performance Standards" and states: "The Second Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously agrees by a vote of 10-0 that Judge Michael W. V. Angel MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS."²⁴. This is an official state commission evaluation of the judge's performance, not an endorsement.
• Public discipline: Searched on 2026-10-08: the Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline's public Determination Database (17 public determinations, 1984 to 2025, all four result pages viewed), its list of public court filings (Matters of Grattan, MacLaren and Murphy) and the public discipline section of its 2025 Annual Report; none names this judge. Not checked: discipline short of a public proceeding, which is confidential and not listed by name, and Colorado Supreme Court attorney regulation records.⁵