#District Attorney Biography - Jefferson County, Colorado

Peter Weir was elected District Attorney by the citizens of Jefferson and Gilpin counties in November, 2012.   He completed his undergraduate degree at Duke University in North Carolina and earned his law degree from the University of Denver College of Law.

Pete began his professional career as a deputy district attorney in the 4 th Judicial District (Colorado Springs) in 1979.   In 1982 he went into private practice where he spent three years specializing in litigation and federal criminal defense before returning to prosecution in the First Judicial District where he served as a deputy district attorney and chief deputy district attorney for thirteen years.

From 1999 to 2004, Pete served as executive director of the Colorado District Attorneys’ Council (CDAC), representing the elected district attorneys in Colorado before the Colorado General Assembly and acting as a liaison with the Office of the Attorney General and the Governor’s office.

Governor Owens appointed Pete to the district court bench in 2004 where he served as a district court judge in the First Judicial District until 2007.

In 2007, Pete was appointed by Governor Ritter to the governor’s cabinet as executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Safety (CDPS).   As executive director of the CDPS, he was responsible for the divisions within CDPS including the Colorado State Patrol, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice, and the Colorado Office of Preparedness, Security and Fire Safety.

In 2010 Pete returned to active prosecution in the First Judicial District as a senior chief deputy district attorney.

Pete’s career reflects his abiding passion for public safety and his enduring commitment to be a strong and vigorous advocate on behalf of the citizens of Jefferson and Gilpin counties and the people of the State of Colorado.

He was instrumental in the creation of the Colorado Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice (CCJJ), a bi-partisan panel of experts statutorily created to analyze Colorado’s criminal justice system and formulate policy recommendations.

Pete brings a wide range of experience within the criminal justice system to the Office of District Attorney.   He has served on many boards and committees dedicated to public safety, enhancing law enforcement efforts, and supporting the work of victims’ advocates including:

• Governor’s Homeland Security Senior Advisory Committee;  
• Rocky Mountain Region Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) Executive Board;
• Governor’s Task Force on Sex Offender Registration;
• Colorado state advisory board for the S.T.O.P. Violence Against Women Act (VAWA);
• Executive Board,   Colorado Ending Violence Against Women (EVAW) project;
• Colorado Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, January, 2013 - present:
• Executive Board, Jefferson County Child and Youth Leadership Commission; January, 2013 - present;
• Executive Board, Jefferson County Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee;   January, 2013 - present; and
• Jefferson County Corrections Board; January, 2013 - present;