The federal trial court in Colorado is seeking to fill a vacancy for a magistrate judge based in Colorado Springs, following an announcement that Kathleen M. Tafoya will retire in January 2022.

Magistrate judges handle many of the same duties as federal district court judges, with the exception of presiding over felony criminal trials and sentencing. They are often the first judicial officers that a criminal defendant will encounter, and their assignments can vary from court to court.

The selection process differs from the presidential nomination and U.S. Senate confirmation required for lifetime appointments of district and appeals court judges. A merit selection panel of lawyers and non-lawyers reviews magistrate judge applications and makes candidate recommendations to the district court judges, who select the new judge by a majority vote. The term of a magistrate judge is eight years.

Tafoya has held her position with the U.S. District Court for Colorado since January 2008. Prior to her appointment, she was a prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, specializing in multi-jurisdictional, complex gang and drug investigations. Her cases included prosecutions of the Rolling 30s Crips and Gallant Knights Insane gangs.

Tafoya also worked as the health care fraud coordinator, investigating and prosecuting matters involving Medicaid and Medicare billing practices. She is a University of Colorado and CU Law School graduate.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Kristen L. Mix, who is president of the Federal Magistrate Judges Association and joined the bench in Colorado one year prior to Tafoya, praised her colleague’s contributions to the district court.

“Her background in both criminal and civil work with the United States Attorney’s Office provided a wealth of experience from which we all — judges, the court and litigants — benefitted,” Mix said. “We’ll miss her sense of humor and no-nonsense approach.”

Applications for the Colorado Springs vacancy are due on Oct. 18. Those seeking the position must have been admitted to the bar of the highest court in the state for the past five years and actively practicing law in that time. Candidates must also be under 70 years old, have no relation to the current district court judges and be of good moral character.

The salary is $201,112.