Colorado Judicial Institute Announces 2008 Judicial Excellence Award Recipients

Denver—The Colorado Judicial Institute, a 29-year-old nonpartisan, nonprofit citizens’ organization dedicated to judicial independence and excellence is honored to announce that Archon Robert H. Russell, II, Delta Eta Bouléis one of two honorees in the District Court Category.

Judge Robert H. Russell II of the 18th Judicial District (Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln Counties) was born in Kansas City, Kansas,in 1940 and attended elementary and junior High School there. He graduated from Central High School in Kansas City, MO in1958 and from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 1963.

Judge Russellwas appointed to the District Court in August 1998.

Judge Russell retired from the Air Force in 1984 as a Lieutenant Colonel after 20 years of service in locations such as Plei Ku AB, Viet Nam, Clark AFB in the Phillippines, Bitburgh AFB in Germany, and Aviano AFB in Italy. He was appointed an Arapahoe County Magistrate in October 1985 and an Arapahoe County Court Judge in June 1989. As described by his supporters, “Judge Russell has dedicated his life to the justice system and this is evident by the way he continues to preside in his courtroom with enthusiasm and remarkable discipline.” Judge Russell has served as president of both the Arapahoe County Bar Association and the Sam Cary Bar Association as well as regional vice-president of the Colorado Bar Association. He is dedicated to mentoring new judges and young attorneys through his work with bar associations, the Minoru Yasui American Inn of Court and as a leader of the Delta Eta Boulé chapter of the Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity. Judge Russell has served on numerous Supreme Court Committees including those on Jury Reform, Judicial Department Leadership Development, and the Ad Hoc Committee on Gender and Justice. His community service includes terms on the board of directors of the Mile High Chapter of the America Red Cross, lay leadership positions at St. Gabriel the Archangel Episcopal Church and as a former director of the Francis Monroe and Mattie T. Brown Scholarship Fund.

Judge Russell was a 1975 Graduate of The University of Puget Sound (now Seattle University) School of Law. He is active in alumni affairs having served on the law school’s National Alumni Council. Russell was the first black American to graduate from the law school. He is the son of Mabel Reed-Allen and the late Lawrence Russell.