Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Paul McLimans traded one legal hat for another Friday.

The former 14th Judicial District Attorney was sworn in as district judge at the Grand County Courthouse. He joins recently sworn-in Chief District Judge Michael O'Hara on the bench.

McLimans was appointed by Gov. Bill Owens in January to replace District Judge Joel Thompson.

Owens picked McLimans over Steamboat Springs attorneys Gary Engle and J. Richard Tremaine.

McLimans served 17 years with the 14th Judicial District Attorney's Office, which covers Routt, Moffat and Grand counties. He worked several years in a district attorney's office in Wisconsin after graduating from the University of Wisconsin Law School.

He and his wife, Deb, live in Hot Sulphur Springs.

The encouragement of friends, family and colleagues weighed heavily in McLimans' decision to pursue Thompson's seat.

McLimans, who has been a prosecutor for 25 years, said a number of people in law enforcement suggested he consider applying for the vacancy.

Term limits would have forced his departure from the district attorney's office in two years. So the time was right, he said, to seek a judgeship with his term as a prosecutor coming to an end.

McLimans, at the time of his appointment, said he valued his time spent in the courtroom as a prosecutor but looked forward to serving on the bench.

His replacement was also sworn in Friday.

Owens appointed Deputy District Attorney Bonnie Roesink as the new district attorney. Roesink, who works in Craig, was the only person who applied for McLimans' vacancy.

She joined the district attorney's office in 1987. She graduated from the University of Colorado Law School.

Roesink will serve at least through the November 2004 election.