Welcome to Court Crawl, Colorado Politics’ roundup of news from the third branch of government.

Colorado’s citizen-led judicial performance commissions released their voter narratives for the judges standing for retention in November, plus a disciplinary panel imposed consequences on a Montezuma County judge for his misconduct.

Judicial retention

• There are 123 state judges standing for retention this year, including one Supreme Court justice and six Court of Appeals judges who will appear on every voter’s ballot. All but three judges received recommendations of “meets performance standards” from their local performance commissions.

• In the 13th Judicial District, which covers northeastern Colorado, the local commission found that District Court Judge Dina M. Christiansen does not meet standards, but it also violated the law and the rules of judicial discipline in its handling of her evaluation. So, the statewide performance commission took the unprecedented step of calling out the violation and recommending that Christiansen meet performance standards under the circumstances.

• The statewide commission also cautioned that lawyers and judges reported concerns about Court of Appeals Judge Elizabeth L. Harris’ ability to release opinions without delay. Colorado Politics’ analysis found that Harris seemingly takes longer on average than judges she sits alongside on appellate panels.

Judge disciplined

• A three-member disciplinary panel imposed an unpaid suspension, a public censure, and additional training on Montezuma County Court Judge Ian J. MacLaren for his admitted misconduct. By 2-1, the panel accepted the agreement between MacLaren and the judicial discipline commission to resolve the case without a trial.

• Former Pueblo County District Attorney Jeff Chostner dissented, noting he would have proceeded to trial on the allegations that MacLaren lied to the discipline commission, which weren’t addressed in the parties’ agreement.

Heard on appeal

• The state Supreme Court will hear a case that implicates the somewhat complicated calculation of a defendant’s parole-eligibility date, and a case about the Court of Appeals’ “hard line” approach to attorneys who blow past the deadline to appeal.

• The Court of Appeals clarified that the duration of a relationship and the characterizations by the participants aren’t the only factors for determining if it is “intimate” for domestic violence purposes.

• A trial judge should take a second look at whether Denver Water has immunity for a bicyclist’s injuries, the Court of Appeals decided.

• The Court of Appeals overturned an illegal $7,000 crime victim restitution order from nearly a decade ago.

• The Court of Appeals rejected former Douglas County Commissioner Lora Thomas’ request for attorney fees in responding to investigations into her conduct.

In federal news

• The U.S. Court of Appeals from the 10th Circuit seemed sympathetic to the idea that a trial judge “punished” Denver Water for relying on a seemingly valid federal permit to commence a massive dam expansion project in Boulder County.

• The 10th Circuit decided a rare federal criminal appeal from a juvenile defendant, finding that Congress’ prohibition on juvenile handgun possession was constitutional.

• A Routt County landowner can’t sue a state judge for his commentary about her property in an unrelated criminal case, the 10th Circuit decided.

• The 10th Circuit revived a man’s wage violation lawsuit against Papa John’s locations in Colorado.

• Tomorrow morning, the 10th Circuit will hold a rare all-judges oral argument in a case out of Colorado questioning whether the state can apply its own interest rate caps to other states’ banks that lend to Colorado consumers.

• A federal judge green-lit claims of excessive force and retaliation for trial against three Fort Collins police officers.

• People in immigration detention do not have to ask an immigration judge for a bond hearing before challenging the lawfulness of their confinement, a federal judge ruled.

• A judge is exploring sanctions against the federal government for re-arresting a man after an immigration judge just granted release on bond.

• Adams County may proceed with its cost-recovery lawsuit for water contamination against Denver.

• An incarcerated plaintiff may proceed to sue various prison officials for allegedly retaliating against him and turning off his electricity.

• A federal judge dismissed a conspiracy lawsuit against the state judiciary filed by Colorado’s former director of judicial discipline.

• An incarcerated woman may sue a prison official for allegedly retaliating against her as she sought to exercise her Native American religion.

• A judge rejected the Trump administration’s attempt to force Colorado to hand over voter information.

• Colorado’s two part-time magistrate judges on the Western Slope spoke about how their jobs look different from other federal judges’ and from each other’s.

• The Colorado Attorney General’s Office has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to permit a lawsuit out of Boulder County to proceed that seeks damages from fossil fuel companies over local climate change impacts.

Vacancies and appointments

• The governor appointed civil litigator, former municipal judge, and recent Democratic state House candidate M. Christina Floyd to the Lake County Court to succeed retiring Judge John G. Scott.

• The governor also appointed civil litigator and municipal judge Jeffrey M. Cure to succeed retiring Kit Carson County Court Judge Michael K. Grinnan.

• There are three finalists to succeed retiring District Court Judge Michael P. McHenry in the Fourth Judicial District (El Paso and Teller counties): David Michael Lipka, Magistrate Lara Yoder Nafziger, and Magistrate Kayla Michelle Wingard.

• There are two finalists to succeed retiring District Court Judge Arturo G. Hernandez in the 17th Judicial District (Adams and Broomfield counties): County Court Judge Marques A. Ivey and Magistrate Thomas M. Ward.

• There are three nominees to succeed retiring Larimer County Court Judge Kraig S. Ecton: Luke Douglas Birky, Leeah Brennan Lechuga, and Michael W. Deschenes.

• Applications are due by Aug. 17 to succeed District Court Judge Anthony Baca in the Sixth Judicial District (Archuleta, La Plata, and San Juan counties). He is departing before his first retention election.

• Applications are due by Aug. 17 to succeed Weld County District Court Judge Renee Doak, who is also not standing for her first retention election.

• Applications are due by Aug. 17 to succeed Jefferson County Court Judge Mark M. Randall, who is also not standing for retention.

• Applications are due by Aug. 17 to succeed retiring Denver District Court Judge A. Bruce Jones.

Miscellaneous proceedings

• Denver has filed suit against multiple cigarette manufacturers over cigarette litter.

• The National Rifle Association’s Colorado chapter is suing over a new state law mandating training as a condition of certain firearm purchases.

• Denver has moved to dismiss a federal lawsuit challenging its 1989 firearm ordinance.

• A Denver judge dismissed a lawsuit seeking records from Democratic lawmakers over a 2025 closed-door retreat in Vail.

• A judge overturned a defendant’s 2008 murder conviction in El Paso County because prosecutors withheld key evidence.

On break

• Because things will be a bit slower during the summer, Court Crawl will be published every other week during July and August.