County Court

The County Court unit is responsible for the prosecution of misdemeanor and traffic offenses in El Paso and Teller Counties.  In 2022, this unit handled more than 18,167 traffic and misdemeanor cases.  The Deputy District Attorney’s (DDA’s) in County Court are the face of the District Attorney’s Office because the majority of people who come into court either as defendants, witnesses or victims are there on County Court cases.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Andrew Vaughan supervises this unit and is assisted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Tony Gioia and Christina Perroni. There are numerous attorneys who are assigned to the various divisions in this unit ranging from A to H, J, K, T, First Appearance Center and Fast Track. County Court has two specialty courts, Domestic Violence Court and an Animal Care Unit (ACU).  In addition to the attorney staff, Katie Gunderman is the Department Manager whom supervises nineteen employees including three Paralegals, thirteen Legal Assistants and Domestic Violence Fast Track personnel.

In addition to paid staff there are usually at least twelve passionate volunteers assisting with County Court and Fast Track.  The County Court Unit is always looking for qualified volunteers to assist them in completing their mission of fairly and impartially handling misdemeanor.

HOW TO VOLUNTEER

County Court is a cohesive team of Deputy District Attorneys and support staff.  County Court attorneys operate under the Three Musketeers mantra, “All for One and One for All.”  They tirelessly work together to prosecute defendants and achieve justice for victims, while training to improve their skills allowing them to better serve our community.  This unit takes great pride in their active mentorship program which was established in 2011 to encourage experienced attorneys to assist and guide newer DDA’s.  The County Court attorneys strive to help train, support and build working relationships with local law enforcement through wet lab training, participating in police ride-along programs, moot court, specialty units, and training local police agencies.

Furthermore, County Court serves as a training ground for individuals who are currently enrolled in law school and are seeking experience through internships. If you are interested in our internship program, please click HERE

If you would like more information regarding County Court, please call 719.520.6000