Presiding Judge
Judge Jason Lantagne first joined the City of Westminster as an assistant city prosecutor in 2017 and was appointed as the Associate Judge in May 2020. In June 2021, Judge Lantagne was selected by City Council as the Presiding Judge. Prior to joining the city, Judge Lantagne attended law school at the University of Denver – Sturm College of Law and spent two summers with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Alaska and Yellowstone National Park.
After graduating with honors, Judge Lantagne served as a deputy district attorney for El Paso and Teller counties in both county and district courts. Later, he joined a civil practice in Denver where he focused on complex litigation in state and federal courts. While in private practice, Judge Lantagne also maintained an active pro bono criminal defense case load of misdemeanor and felony cases.
Judge Lantagne is a member of the Colorado Bar Association, Adams County Bar Association and Colorado Municipal Judges Association. Originally from northern Vermont, Judge Lantagne has lived in Colorado since 2008 and spends his free time enjoying the great outdoors with his wife.
Associate Judge
Judge Rebekah Watada moved to Colorado at a young age, growing up and attending public school in Denver, Colorado. She attended Emory University and graduated from the University of Colorado in Boulder in 1998. She received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Denver, Sturm College of Law, and was admitted to the Colorado bar in October 2004. Judge Watada began her legal career in 2005 as a deputy district attorney in Weld County and served the citizens of Colorado as a Senior Deputy District Attorney with Denver District Attorney’s Office until 2015 when she joined a large civil litigation firm in Denver. Judge Watada returned to public service as a Senior Assistant City Attorney for the City of Denver in 2016. There, she handled various matters, including prosecution of city code and state statute violations, drafting administrative rules, policies, and procedures, conducting administrative hearings and appeals, and advising several Denver City agencies and officials on legal matters. Most recently, Judge Watada handled complex civil litigation matters at a prominent north metro area firm. In December 2020, Judge Watada was appointed as a Relief Judge for the City of Aurora. The City of Westminster appointed Rebekah Watada as Associate Judge in October 2021.
Judge Watada is a Board Member of the Colorado Women’s Bar Association (CWBA) serving as co-chair of the Programs Committee, an active member of the CWBA Judicial Committee, an active member of the Colorado and Denver Bar Associations serving as a mock trial coach at a local high school, and member of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association (APABA). She is a professional mentor in the Professional Mentoring Program at the University of Denver, Sturm College of Law. Judge Watada previously served as a board member and Secretary for the Denver Center for Crime Victims, a member of the Minoru Yasui Inn of Court, and a case review team member for the Denver Children’s Advocacy Center.
Judge Watada remains active in the community, having served as President and President-elect on her children’s PTA, serving on several principal selection committees, and participating in various public service programs.