Hon. Peter F. Michaelson is a judge for the 18th Judicial District Court of Colorado. He was appointed to the bench by former Governor John Hickenlooper in 2015.
The 18th Judicial District includes Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert, and Lincoln Counties. During his judicial tenure, Michaelson was assigned to a domestic relations docket in Arapahoe County and has also presided over criminal and civil matters.
Prior to his appointment, Michaelson was a part-time judge for the Custer County Court since his appointment to the seat in 2003.
Before joining the bench, he worked in private practice. During that time, he was of counsel at West, Brown & Huntley, P.C. (2015) and Hamre, Rodriguez, Ostrander & Dingess, P.C. (2012 to 2015) and operated his own private practice, the Law Office of Peter F. Michaelson, P.C. (1997 to 2015). His areas of practice included real estate, eminent domain, probate, municipal and special districts, estate planning, business formation, and general civil litigation.
Michaelson entered private practice after serving two terms as District Attorney for the 5th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. He began with the office as a deputy district attorney in 1984 (1984 to 1988).
Michaelson received a B.A. in American studies from Pennsylvania State University in 1979. He went on to complete a J.D. at the University of Denver, Sturm College of Law in 1982. He was admitted to practice in Colorado (1982) and Minnesota (2008).
After graduating from law school, Michaelson began his legal career in private practice in Denver and Aspen (1982 to 1984).
He sat as a member of the Chief Justice’s Office of Dispute Resolution Advisory Committee. Michaelson also served as a board member of the Westcliffe Center for the Performing Arts, the San Isabel Foundation Board and Advisory Board, the Wet Mountain Valley Community Foundation, the Wet Mountain Valley Saddle Club, and the Colorado Wildlife Foundation.
He was a mock trial presiding judge for the Arapahoe County Bar Association and a mock trial coach and mentor for the Custer County High School Mock Trial.
Michealson also coached Custer County Middle School Football and was a Youth Football League coach and manager for the Valley Park Recreation and Youth Center, Inc.