Hon. Patrick D. Butler (Ret.) served as a district court judge in the Twentieth Judicial District (Boulder County) from October 2011 to May 2024.  He presided over domestic relations, civil, criminal, juvenile, mental health, and probate dockets.  While in a civil docket he presided over many cases involving automobile accidents, medical and dental malpractice, contract disputes and construction defect cases.

While in a domestic docket he handled everything from simple dissolutions and parenting time cases to the most complex domestic cases involving large marital estates and difficult APR issues.

Prior to his district judge appointment, Judge Butler was a magistrate from April 2009 through October 2011 in the 18^th Judicial District (Arapahoe, Douglas and Elbert Counties).  As a magistrate he handled civil and domestic matters, including debt collection, civil disputes, protection orders and child support collection.

Prior to being appointed as a magistrate, Judge Butler practiced plaintiff and defendant civil litigation and criminal defense from 1986-2009.  During his career in private practice Judge Butler tried approximately 150 jury trials.

In private practice Judge Butler handled a wide variety of personal injury and contract disputes, including plaintiff automobile, trucking, motorcycle collision and premises liability lawsuits.  He also represented two trucking companies and one insurance company as defense counsel.

When he is not acting as a neutral or special master, Judge Butler devotes his time as a volunteer for USA Boxing as a certified boxing official.  This includes roles as a referee, ring supervisor, timekeeper and judge.

Judge Butler has always been an active athlete and has participated in a wide variety of sports over the years.  He has completed two Ironman distance triathlons and many shorter triathlons.  He has competed in power lifting, boxing, and distance running events.  In 2001 he rode his bicycle from Colorado to Maryland in 12 days, averaging 138 miles per day.  He has completed several ultra-marathons and marathons.

Judge Butler takes satisfaction in assisting parties settling their cases in a more cost-effective and comfortable format both through mediation and arbitration. Judge Butler stands ready to give the attention to time consuming and/or complex matters as a special master where our courts cannot otherwise timely attend to, so the parties can move more expeditiously through the litigation process.

Judge Butler provides the following services.

• Mediator
• Arbitrator
• Special Master appointments
• Statutory Judge appointments
• Early Neutral Evaluations

Specialties

• Personal injury/Torts
• Malpractice/Professional Liability
• Family/Domestic
• Complex Civil Matters
• Construction Defect