Kristy Allyne Martinez

Kristy was born in October 1969 to Sally Wear and Ralph Clayton Sieg in Washington, where she grew up. Kristy later moved to Colorado to attend the University of Denver. She received a B.A. in Human Communication from the University of Denver in 1995.

While working full time, Kristy attended law school at night until she earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 1999. This began what Kristy described as a love affair with the profession within which she would spend the rest of her life. Kristy embodied what some might see as an old-fashioned conception of what it means to be a lawyer—she believed it was a noble calling, answered by people in pursuit of high ideals of fairness and justice.

Kristy was one of the rare Colorado attorneys who answered that calling on both sides of the criminal justice system. She began her career as a Deputy District Attorney in Adams County. In 2002, Kristy established a criminal defense practice representing indigent clients at trial, on appeal, and during post-conviction review. She represented clients from difficult circumstances, including those experiencing mental illness, homelessness, lack of education, substance abuse, domestic violence, and terminal illness. Kristy had a particular talent for forging strong connections with people, no matter their background. This talent, combined with her dogged pursuit of fairness, hardworking approach to cases, and passion for the law earned her a reputation as an exceptional trial and post-conviction attorney.

While in private practice, Kristy and her then-husband Esteban Martinez welcomed their daughter—Isabella “Bella” Martinez—into their life. Kristy cherished her role as a mother and her time with Bella. Kristy was extremely proud of Bella’s accomplishments, but was even more proud of who her daughter is. She firmly believed raising Bella was the most important thing she ever did. Kristy survived her first cancer diagnosis in 2003. From that experience, Kristy developed an acute sense that each day was a gift and sought to make the most of the time she had left.

Beginning in September 2015, Kristy served as the Director of the Korey Wise Innocence Project. The Korey Wise Innocence Project provides free investigative and legal services to people serving time in Colorado prisons for crimes they did not commit. Kristy built and led a team of student volunteers to screen requests and correspond with incarcerated persons and their families seeking exoneration.

While serving as the Director of the Innocence Project, Kristy taught both Post-Conviction Criminal Procedure and Wrongful Conviction at the University of Colorado School of Law. As a professor, Kristy instilled in students a deep commitment to fairness, fair process, and the Constitution of the United States of America. She inspired a generation of lawyers to view their role as attorneys as an awesome responsibility, while inspiring the very best growth in them. When she wasn’t investigating wrongful convictions or teaching, Kristy could often be found mentoring students from all walks of life. She shaped the lives and careers of innumerable students. Her passion and enthusiasm left a longstanding mark on the law school and many of its graduates.

In 2019, then-Governor John Hickenlooper appointed Kristy to serve as a County Court Judge in the 20th Judicial District. Judge Martinez served the Boulder community with the same diligence she brought to her advocacy. She brought to the bench a sense that the law is made up of the human beings that walk into the courtroom. She prioritized treating every person appearing in her court with dignity. She strove to make the proceedings accessible to every defendant and pro se litigant. She inspired jurors with a sense of their critical role in the democratic process. She continued to mentor both lawyers and court personnel. Judge Martinez was a truly exemplary judicial officer.

Those who knew Kristy described her as energetic. She brought intensity to her professional responsibilities, but also magic to every single day—whether it was running through sprinklers or buying the biggest pumpkin she could find. She was a talented markswoman with a bow and arrow, and she loved horses and hiking. She could hustle a deal better than anyone. She was a fierce and loyal friend, daughter, colleague, judicial officer, and above all, mother. She gave her very best to those around her and brought out the very best in them. She left an indelible mark on the profession, the Boulder community, and the lives of everyone she knew.

Kristy is survived by her mother (Sally Wear), her daughter (Bella Martinez), Bella’s father (Esteban Martinez), and her brothers (Russell Sieg and Dale Sieg).

A celebration of life will be held in the jury assembly room of the Boulder County Justice Center, 1777 6th St, Boulder, CO on Friday, March 10th at 3:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Humane Society of Boulder Valley or an organization of your choice.