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STATE OF COLORADO CITY AND COUNTY BUILDING

DENVER,
WILLIAM D. ROBBINS JUDGE

COLORADO 80202

September 15,2011 Supreme Court Nominating Commission Chief Justice Michael Bender, ex Officio Chair 101 West Colfax Ave, #800 Denver Colorado, 80202 Chief Justice Bender and Nominating Commission:
It is my honor to write this letter of recommendation endorsing the candidacy of Frederick Martinez for a seat on the Colorado Supreme Court. I have known Mr. Martinez since August 1984, the first day oflaw school at the University of Colorado. We shared a "small section" Contracts class, where each student was encouraged to share his or her own philosophy about our society and its relationship to the law. From the beginning, I found Fred to be a thoughtful and pragmatic person, committed to the ideals ofjustice and fairness for all. I know that this commitment has grown and solidified over the years.

After law school, Fred began his career as a Deputy State Public Defender, I as a Deputy District Attorney. Obviously, we often found ourselves on different sides of issues and cases. While always zealously representing his client, Fred remained dignified and respectful, both of the process and to the other people involved that process. After leaving the Office of the Public Defender, Fred distinguished himself in the civil arena, quickly adapting the skills learned as a criminal defense trial lawyer to a very different environment. Over the years his practice has continued to expand, as has his skill and sterling reputation in the legal community. He has represented railroads and other transportation industries in major litigation that has proven important not only to the people of the state of Colorado but our entire region. He clearly has the ability to understand, analyze and communicate effectively even very fine points of law. These traits are of course essential to a Supreme Court Justice. In addition to his trial work Fred has well served not only his clients but the Bar itself in his role with the Attorney Regulation Counsel and the Colorado Supreme Court. Maybe more important is his concern for the well-being and improvement of attorneys who have run afoul of the Regulation Counsel by overseeing, mentoring and monitoring those attorney's compliance with the Presiding Disciplinary Judge's Orders regarding the Conditional Admission to the Colorado State Bar. Mr. Martinez is also a well grounded individual, dedicated to his family and community. He is active in the Colorado as well as Douglas County Bar Associations.

However, Fred's activities and involvement spread far beyond the courtroom. After serving many years as a Deputy District Attorney and now as a District Judge, I have seen firsthand the good and useful work performed by organizations such as Urban Peaks to which Fred has so generously donated his time and efforts. These personal attributes, as well as his obvious intelligence, grasp oflegal concepts and principles, coupled with his unassailable reputation for honesty and integrity would, in my view, make Frederick Martinez an excellent Justice of the Colorado Supreme Court. I urge you and the Commission to look favorably upon his application.

William D. Robbms District Judge.