Hon. Ryan J. Stuart is a judge for the 18th Judicial District Court of Colorado. He was appointed to the bench by former Governor John Hickenlooper in 2018, filling the vacancy created by the retirement of the Hon. Phillip Douglass (Ret.).
The 18th Judicial District includes Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert, and Lincoln Counties.
Prior to his appointment, Stuart presided as a judge for the Jefferson County Court, having been appointed to the seat by Governor Hickenlooper in 2012. Before that, he served as a district court magistrate in the 1st Judicial District since 2010.
He received a B.A. from Stanford University and a master’s degree in education from Harvard University. Stuart went on to complete a J.D. at Georgetown Law School in 2003.
After graduating from law school, he began his legal career as an associate at Brownstein, Hyatt & Farber, P.C., where he handled civil litigation matters. Stuart left private practice to work as a deputy district attorney in both Jefferson and Gilpin Counties.
He has taught as an adjunct instructor at Red Rocks Community College and is credited with co-founding an expeditionary learning charter school in Castle Rock, where he also volunteered his time.
At the time of his appointment, Stuart resided in Lakewood, Colorado.