Author: David Migoya
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Summit County judge resigns days after courtroom tirade that followed monthlong suspension
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The Summit County district court judge who recently launched into a courtroom tirade just two days after returning from a mandated suspension and anger-management counseling has resigned. Colorado Watch logo-new District Judge Mark Thompson resigned from the bench, the Colorado Supreme Court announced Tuesday, following a Denver Gazette account of how the judge repeatedly tore…
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Colorado judge reportedly ‘screamed’ at attorneys days after returning from suspension, undergoing anger management
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Just two days after returning from a monthlong suspension from the bench for a criminal conviction that required extensive anger-management counseling, Summit County District Judge Mark Thompson launched into a courtroom tirade against two attorneys that left them “frightened” and “fearful.” Thompson said in a written order that he “roundly admonished” the lawyers at the…
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Denver schools investigated former principal over $175K in purchases, then promoted her
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Officials believe Grayson’s DPS-issued credit card purchased items related to a Sweet 16 birthday party for a family member A high-powered, influential Denver Public Schools principal with a history of financial woes was investigated last year over allegations that more than $175,000 was misspent on district credit cards – nearly half of it unaccounted for…
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Colorado’s extensive use of confidentiality agreements costs millions, silences whistleblowers
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With increasing frequency, Colorado is mandating its employees – some of them whistleblowers calling out misconduct or malfeasance – sign non-disclosure clauses in any financial settlement they make with the state, effectively silencing them from ever letting anyone know what happened in their cases, according to interviews and dozens of records reviewed by The Denver Gazette. In…
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Cable TV provider who donated $40,000 to Colorado AG Phil Weiser was treated differently in probes
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Dozens of people with ties to Dish Network ponied up nearly $40,000 in campaign contributions to Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser – many of them giving for the first time – just before, during and after the company was the focus of a deceptive trade practices inquiry that began in 2021, campaign records show. And although two…
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State Supreme Court chief sought to restrict media’s access to information surrounding scandal investigation
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Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Brian Boatright last year insisted the commission investigating allegations of judicial misconduct issue a subpoena for any information in order to prevent the media – and by extension the public – from getting access to details about the scandal inquiry, according to emails obtained by The Denver Gazette. The push…
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Judicial discipline proposals headed to General Assembly
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A pair of recommendations to reform Colorado’s system of judicial discipline – including a potential amendment to the state constitution voters could be asked to pass in 2024 – are headed to the General Assembly following Friday’s formal approval by the Legislative Council. The recommendations came from an interim committee of legislators formed last spring…
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Colorado Supreme Court justices haven’t recused despite apparent conflicts of interest in investigation
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At least six of Colorado’s Supreme Court justices – including its Chief Justice Brian Boatright and incoming Chief Justice Monica Marquez – have known about conflicts of interest they allegedly have with ongoing disciplinary investigations into the conduct of at least two of their colleagues but have done nothing about it, according to letters obtained by The Gazette. The…
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Colorado lawmakers advance changes on disciplining judges
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A special state legislative panel on Friday unanimously passed a pair of resolutions that would dramatically change how Colorado investigates and disciplines judges, one of them a Constitutional amendment voters would consider in 2024. One resolution creates a three-member board to pass judgment in formal discipline cases. The other measure sets up anonymous reporting, requires…
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Colorado appeals court judges should not sit in judgment of Supreme Court justices: Discipline panel
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Allowing judges from the Colorado Court of Appeals to stand in judgment over a Supreme Court justice accused of misconduct would be fraught with the appearance of impropriety and potential conflicts of interest. So says the state Commission on Judicial Discipline in a letter to a panel of legislators scheduled to take up a trio…
