Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Monica M. Márquez has appointed Judge Samuel S. Vigil as the next chief judge of the 16th Judicial District, which serves Bent, Crowley and Otero counties.
Vigil will succeed Chief Judge Mark A. MacDonnell, who has served as chief judge since 2013. MacDonnell announced he will retire effective June 30, 2026.
Vigil was appointed to the district court bench in 2022. Before joining the bench, he served as a deputy district attorney in the 16th Judicial District and later established a private practice in Las Animas, where he represented local governments and indigent parents through the Office of Respondent Parents’ Counsel.
He also served as Bent County attorney, city attorney for Las Animas, special county attorney for the Prowers County Department of Human Services and counsel to several special districts. Vigil earned his law degree from Tulane University Law School.
“Chief Judge MacDonnell’s commitment to justice, and to his community, has been an inspiration to many,” said Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Monica M. Márquez. “We thank him for his years of honorable public service, including his leadership of the Chief Judge Council. I know Judge Vigil’s years of experience in various roles throughout the 16th judicial district will prove invaluable as he assumes the position of chief judge.”
As chief judge, Vigil will oversee the administration of the district’s courts while continuing to serve as a trial judge. He also will serve as an alternate water judge for Water Division 2.