colorado commission on judicial discipline
-
Judicial discipline commission reports increased transparency, increased submissions
—
by
The Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline received 473 misconduct complaints about judges in 2025, which was nearly 29% higher than in 2024 and substantially greater than any time in the past decade. However, only 31 complaints were referred to the commission for further action after an initial screening, the organization noted in its annual report released…
-
San Miguel County judge intends to resign as discipline authorities seek alternate resolution
—
by
A San Miguel County judge and the Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline informed a disciplinary panel last week that new information about the judge’s health has come to light suggesting further proceedings may not be appropriate, and the judge will instead resign from the bench. The Colorado Supreme Court suspended County Court Judge Sean K.…
-
Panel member ejected from one judge’s discipline case, as second judge challenges protocols in his proceeding
—
by
One member of a panel adjudicating the misconduct allegations against a county court judge has been replaced due to her alleged non-responsiveness, at the same time a different county court judge is objecting to the intended protocols in his own disciplinary case. Following voters’ passage of constitutional Amendment H in November 2024, adjudication of serious…
-
San Miguel County judge suspended, discipline commission harbors ‘serious concerns’ about conduct
—
by
A San Miguel County judge who failed to respond for months to disciplinary authorities’ requests to explain himself is now facing allegations that his misconduct infected two dozen cases and forced some litigants to wait years for decisions. Documents filed in the matter of County Court Judge Sean K. Murphy also alleged several bizarre incidents,…
-
Montezuma County judge says ‘imperfect decisions’ do not justify disciplinary authorities’ ‘overreach’
—
by
A Montezuma County judge responded on Monday to the allegations of misconduct against him, arguing any poor decisions he may have made did not justify his removal from office and further insisting he did not lie to disciplinary officials. In early September, the Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline accused County Court Judge Ian J. MacLaren…
-
Northeast Colorado judge resigns, admits to misconduct
—
by
A judge from northeastern Colorado resigned at the end of Wednesday, and, in doing so, admitted to allegations that he used his position to aid a friend in her court case and did not disclose his personal connection in other cases involving that friend. District Court Judge Justin B. Haenlein presided in the 13th Judicial…
-
Colorado judicial disciplinary officials describe what changed, remained constant with 2024 amendment
—
by
Top state officials for attorney and judicial discipline spoke on Wednesday about the ways in which a 2024 constitutional amendment changed the process for disciplining state judges, the factors that stayed constant and the question marks that remain around specific rules. In November, voters overwhelmingly enacted Amendment H, which lawmakers referred to the ballot after a…
-
Northeast Colorado judge inappropriately aided friend in multiple cases, discipline officials say
—
by
A judge from northeastern Colorado used his position to aid a friend across multiple cases, and ordered the pretrial release of her boyfriend who was accused of felonies, disciplinary officials alleged in a filing on Tuesday. District Court Judge Justin B. Haenlein, who presides in the 13th Judicial District of Morgan, Logan, Sedgwick, Phillips, Washington, Yuma…
-
Northeast Colorado judge intends to resign to resolve misconduct complaint, parties reveal in unique hearing
—
by
A trial judge in northeastern Colorado intends to resign his seat if a disciplinary panel accepts the agreed-upon narrative of the misconduct allegations against him, the parties said during a first-of-its-kind proceeding on Friday. The state Supreme Court suspended District Court Judge Justin B. Haenlein in November due to an ongoing investigation by the Colorado…
-
Colorado panel to hold likely first-ever livestream of judicial discipline proceeding
—
by
A three-member panel assigned to adjudicate the misconduct allegations against a northeastern Colorado judge will livestream a status conference on Friday, for apparently the first time in the state’s history. On Nov. 25, the Colorado Supreme Court suspended District Court Judge Justin B. Haenlein, who presides in the 13th Judicial District of Morgan, Logan, Sedgwick, Phillips,…
