Judge JenniLynn Everett Lawrence: Professional Background and Legal Expertise

Hon. JenniLynn Everett Lawrence is a judge for the Montezuma County Court in Colorado. She was appointed to the bench by former Governor Bill Ritter in November 2010, filling the vacancy created by the elevation of the Hon. Todd Plewe to the 22nd Judicial District Court.

Lawrence hears traffic, misdemeanor, felony preliminary hearings, and civil cases up to $15, 000 and also presides over the DUI Problem Solving Court.

Prior to her appointment, she spent thirteen years as a private practice attorney.

Lawrence received a B.A. in English and education from Fort Lewis College (1989) and an M.A. in interdisciplinary education from Adams State College (1993). She then taught English at Cortez Middle School and Montezuma-Cortez High School before completing a J.D. at the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1997.

She was admitted to practice in Florida (1998), Wisconsin (1998), the United States District Court for the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida (1999), New Mexico, Colorado (2000), and the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin (1998).

While in private practice, Lawrence earned an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell.

She was named a Colorado Bar Foundation Fellow and is a past president of the Colorado County Court Judges Association and the Four Corners Bar Association. Lawrence also sat as a member of the Judicial Education Committee, the Access to Justice Committee, and the Judicial Wellbeing Committee.

She has served as an instructor to fellow judges on the subjects of evidentiary challenges brought about by social media, the judicial role in a DUI case, and how to conduct a criminal jury trial. In addition, Lawrence authored the sentencing chapter for the DUI Bench Book.

A native of Montezuma County, she was born in Cortez, Colorado. Lawrence attended Mancos High School.