Joel Judd
Encyclopedia
Joel Stanton Judd was a Colorado
legislator. Elected to the Colorado House of Representatives as a Democrat in 2002, Judd represented House District 5, which encompasses downtown Denver, Colorado
.
, Judd earned a bachelor's degree from New College of Florida
in 1972 and then returned to Colorado, earning a law degree from the University of Denver
in 1976. He then entered private practice, working at Feder & Morris from 1976 to 1977, at Reckseen and Lau from 1977 to 1982, and finally opening an individual law practice in 1982.
As a community member, Judd has served as President of the Downtown Denver Optimists Club
from 1980 to 1983, and as a board member of Denver's Jewish Community Center, from 1985 to 1988. Also an active outdoorsman, Judd maintains a list of his favorite hikes on his campaign web site; he was also president of the Denver Mosaic Outdoor Mountain Club from 1994 to 1997, and served on Mosaic Outdoor Clubs of America
's national board of directors from 1998 to 1999.
During his first term, Judd sat on the House Information and Technology Committee and the House Judiciary Committee. In his second term, Judd moved to the House Appropriations Committee and to the House Finance Committee where, under Democratic control of the legislature, he was named Vice-Chairman. Currently in his third term, Judd remains on the House Appropriations Committee and chairs the House Finance Committee.
Term limit
s prevented Judd from seeking a fifth House term in 2010. Instead, he ran for the Colorado Senate in the 34th district but lost in the Democratic primary to Lucía Guzmán
, the incumbent who had been appointed to the seat months earlier.
In 2006, Judd sponsored a measure to allow pregnant teenagers to seek medical treatment without parental consent; the bill passed the legislature and was enacted into law, albeit without the signature of Gov. Bill Owens.
During the 2007 legislative session, in reaction to a 2006 hit and run
accident that killed a mother and her two young children in downtown Denver, Judd sponsored legislation to strengthen penalties for drunk driving and require ignition interlock devices on the automobiles of those convicted of DUI
s. The measure would have made Colorado's drunk-driving laws the strictest in the nation, but was defeated in the legislature. Another 2007 measure by Judd, designed to limit handguns with vehicles unless the owner held a concealed carry
permit, was opposed by gun-rights advocates and the National Rifle Association
, and was defeated in committee.
One of Judd's successful 2007 bills was a measure to increases penalties for employers who willfully withhold pay from employees, written and pushed through the legislature with the help of students from the University of Denver
's law clinic.
In the 2008 session, Judd has introduced legislation to requite ignition interlocks for drivers convicted of driving while intoxicated, and to limit campaign contributions from limited liability corporations.
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
legislator. Elected to the Colorado House of Representatives as a Democrat in 2002, Judd represented House District 5, which encompasses downtown Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
.
Biography
Born in Denver, ColoradoDenver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, Judd earned a bachelor's degree from New College of Florida
New College of Florida
New College of Florida is a public liberal arts college located in Sarasota, Florida. It was founded originally as a private institution and is now an autonomous honors college of the State University System of Florida.-History:...
in 1972 and then returned to Colorado, earning a law degree from the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
in 1976. He then entered private practice, working at Feder & Morris from 1976 to 1977, at Reckseen and Lau from 1977 to 1982, and finally opening an individual law practice in 1982.
As a community member, Judd has served as President of the Downtown Denver Optimists Club
Optimist International
Optimist International is an international service club organization with 3,200 clubs and almost 100,000 members in more than 35 nations throughout the world. The international headquarters is located in St...
from 1980 to 1983, and as a board member of Denver's Jewish Community Center, from 1985 to 1988. Also an active outdoorsman, Judd maintains a list of his favorite hikes on his campaign web site; he was also president of the Denver Mosaic Outdoor Mountain Club from 1994 to 1997, and served on Mosaic Outdoor Clubs of America
Mosaic Outdoor Clubs of America
Mosaic Outdoor Clubs of America is an international non-profit network of Jewish outdoor clubs in the United States, Canada, and Israel.-History and Organization:...
's national board of directors from 1998 to 1999.
Legislative career
Judd was first elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in 2002, defeating Republican Brandi Moreland and Reform Party candidate Christopher Wilson with over 70 percent of votes cast. Judd was re-elected in 2004, 2006 and 2008.During his first term, Judd sat on the House Information and Technology Committee and the House Judiciary Committee. In his second term, Judd moved to the House Appropriations Committee and to the House Finance Committee where, under Democratic control of the legislature, he was named Vice-Chairman. Currently in his third term, Judd remains on the House Appropriations Committee and chairs the House Finance Committee.
Term limit
Term limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
s prevented Judd from seeking a fifth House term in 2010. Instead, he ran for the Colorado Senate in the 34th district but lost in the Democratic primary to Lucía Guzmán
Lucía Guzmán
Lucía Guzmán is a Colorado state legislator. Appointed to the Colorado Senate in May 2010, Guzmán represents Senate District 34 in Denver. She was elected to a full four-year term in November 2010.-Political career:...
, the incumbent who had been appointed to the seat months earlier.
Sponsored legislation
Each of his first five years in the legislature Judd introduced a child support casino intercept bill. It lost each year. In 2007 he passed it by adding the proposal as an amendment to another child support bill. Colorado children have now collected over a million dollars from delinquent parents with large casino winnings.In 2006, Judd sponsored a measure to allow pregnant teenagers to seek medical treatment without parental consent; the bill passed the legislature and was enacted into law, albeit without the signature of Gov. Bill Owens.
During the 2007 legislative session, in reaction to a 2006 hit and run
Hit and run (vehicular)
Hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic accident , and failing to stop and identify oneself afterwards...
accident that killed a mother and her two young children in downtown Denver, Judd sponsored legislation to strengthen penalties for drunk driving and require ignition interlock devices on the automobiles of those convicted of DUI
DUI
DUI is a three letter acronym that may stand for:* Driving under the influence * Democratic Union for Integration — the largest ethnic Albanian party in the Republic of Macedonia* Data Use Identifier...
s. The measure would have made Colorado's drunk-driving laws the strictest in the nation, but was defeated in the legislature. Another 2007 measure by Judd, designed to limit handguns with vehicles unless the owner held a concealed carry
Concealed carry
Concealed carry, or CCW , refers to the practice of carrying a handgun or other weapon in public in a concealed manner, either on one's person or in proximity.-In Canada:...
permit, was opposed by gun-rights advocates and the National Rifle Association
National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
, and was defeated in committee.
One of Judd's successful 2007 bills was a measure to increases penalties for employers who willfully withhold pay from employees, written and pushed through the legislature with the help of students from the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
's law clinic.
In the 2008 session, Judd has introduced legislation to requite ignition interlocks for drivers convicted of driving while intoxicated, and to limit campaign contributions from limited liability corporations.