Ritter Leaves Office With Judicial Legacy

DENVER (AP) -- Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter leaves office next week with a hefty legacy on the state's judicial system.

The (Colorado Springs) Gazette reports that Ritter appointed 112 state and county judges in his one term. That's nearly as many as a previous governor appointed in two terms.

Ritter also appointed more women and more public defenders to the bench than his Republican predecessor, Bill Owens. However, Owens appointed more judges overall: 174 over his two terms.

Ritter was formerly the district attorney for Denver. Ritter told The Gazette that appointing judges is "as lasting as anything you do" as governor.

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