The Hon. Thomas M. Deister (Ret.) served as a judge for the 21st Judicial District Court of Colorado. Deister was appointed to the bench by former Governor Bill Owens on October 31, 2005, filling a vacancy created by the retirement of the Hon. Nicholas R. Massaro, Jr. He retired on January 1, 2017.
The 21st Judicial District encompasses Mesa County.
Prior to his appointment, Deister was a judge for the Mesa County Court, a position to which he was named in 1994. Before that, he was a deputy district attorney for the 21st Judicial District Attorney’s Office (1987 to 1994).
Deister earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Denver in 1971. He then completed a J.D. at the University of Denver, Sturm College of Law in 1974.
After graduating from law school, Deister enrolled in the Military Justice School, working as an officer for the United States Navy’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps. He served in that capacity until 1978, at which time he entered into private practice, handling criminal and juvenile delinquency matters in Grand Junction.
His memberships have included the Colorado Bar Association and the Mesa County Bar Association.