Southern Colorado Mediation Judges

David L. Shakes, Retired District Judge

David Shakes served as a District Judge, State of Colorado from March 2003 to September 2025. Judge Shakes presided over the Veteran’s Trauma Court, civil, criminal, juvenile, and domestic relations cases. Since June 2009 he has served on the Supreme Court Standing Committee for Court Services for Colorado’s judicial branch.

Prior to being appointed as a judge, Judge Shakes was in private practice with the firm Hendricks, Hendricks, and Shakes, P.C. with a practice focus in business, construction and real estate matters and related litigation. He became board certified in 2002 as a Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He has taught at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, and the National Judicial College. Prior to becoming a judge he was AV rated and a frequent speaker on construction and mechanics lien law. Significant transactions included lead counsel in a regional bank acquisition and lead counsel for over a dozen acquisitions relating to 38 radio stations throughout the Midwest.

Judge Shakes served on active duty in the Army as a Judge Advocate at Fort Carson from 1979-1983 and served in the Army Reserve continuously from 1983 until his retirement in the summer of 2008. He is a graduate of the Army Procurement Attorneys Course. Prior to his military retirement Colonel Shakes was the Commander and Chief Trial Judge of the military judges of the Army Reserve.

From January 2007 through January 2008 Colonel Shakes was assigned to Task Force 134, Multi-National Force-Iraq as the Rule of Law Advisor and Political/Military Advisor at the US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq. In that capacity, he worked with the Chief Justice of Iraq, Iraqi trial judges, prison officials, and the Ministers of Justice and Human Rights to improve the Iraqi criminal justice system concerning prosecution of terrorists and insurgents. Military awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, and Combat Action Badge.

Judge Shakes earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lehigh University (With Highest Honors), a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, a Master of Strategic Studies degree from the Army War College, and a Master of Judicial Studies degree from the University of Nevada-Reno. He is certified as a General Jurisdiction Trial Judge by the National Judicial College.

He has published articles in the University of Denver Criminal Law Review, Wake Forest Journal of Law and Policy and Traumatology.

In the community Judge Shakes has served as President, Colorado Springs County Club; President, East Colorado Spring Rotary Club; President, Ben Wendelken Inn of Court; Vice President (Finance) Pikes Peak Council Boy Scouts of America, and Member, Colorado Bar Association Board of Governors. He has won the El Paso County Bar Association Liberty Bell Award twice for outstanding achievements in advancing the rule of law.

Judge Shakes is available for mediation, arbitration, special master, and private judge appointments in construction, commercial, real estate, business, and personal injury matters. His hourly charge is $400.