colorado commission on judicial discipline
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Colorado Supreme Court suspends Mesa County judge pending misconduct investigation
The Colorado Supreme Court suspended Mesa County Court Judge Michael J. Grattan on Thursday amid a misconduct investigation. The court’s Sept. 10 order gave Grattan 21 days to explain why his paid suspension should not continue through the end of his disciplinary proceedings. Chief Justice Monica M. Márquez did not participate in the order and…
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Federal judge explores new sanctions against ex-Colorado judicial discipline director
A federal judge on Wednesday directed Colorado’s former judicial discipline director, for the third time this year, to explain why she should not sanction him for his latest conduct in his litigation against the state’s judiciary. Christopher S.P. Gregory, who served as the executive director of the Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline between 2022 and 2024, raised…
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Judicial performance evaluations released, Montezuma County judge disciplined | COURT CRAWL
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…
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Divided disciplinary panel censures Montezuma County judge after agreement reached
A disciplinary panel formally imposed a public censure, suspension, and further training on Montezuma County Court Judge Ian J. MacLaren on Tuesday by a 2-1 vote. Under constitutional Amendment H, which voters adopted in November 2024, MacLaren was set to be the first judge to face an adjudicative trial this month under the revamped framework…
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Federal judge dismisses ex-Colorado judicial discipline director’s conspiracy lawsuit
A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit from Colorado’s former judicial discipline director on Tuesday, finding that he failed to adequately state claims for conspiracy or constitutional violations. Christopher S.P. Gregory, who served as the executive director of the Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline between 2022 and 2024, sought reinstatement to his former position, monetary damages, and the…
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Senate advances judicial nominee, Montezuma County judge agrees to discipline | COURT CRAWL
Welcome to Court Crawl, Colorado Politics’ roundup of news from the third branch of government. A U.S. Senate committee advanced a judicial nominee from Colorado, plus a Montezuma County judge agreed to receive discipline for his misconduct that stops short of removal from the bench. Senate advances Domenico • The Senate Judiciary Committee voted along…
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Misconduct complaints from ex-Colorado judicial discipline director dismissed against federal judges
The administrative body for the Denver-based federal appeals court upheld a finding last week that misconduct complaints against Colorado’s chief federal trial judge and the chief appeals judge warranted dismissal and appeared to be a “litigation tactic” by the complaining party. The Judicial Council of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit concluded…
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Montezuma County judge’s censure, suspension approved by discipline panel
A three-member disciplinary panel accepted, on Monday, an agreement between a Montezuma County judge and the Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline that specifies he will receive a censure, a suspension, and additional education for his admitted instances of misconduct. Under constitutional Amendment H, which voters adopted in November 2024, County Court Judge Ian J. MacLaren…
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Montezuma County judge, discipline officials agree upon suspension for numerous misconduct admissions
A Montezuma County judge and the Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline both agreed this month that a suspension and public censure are the appropriate consequences for his multiple instances of misconduct, including invoking his title when facing a citation from state officials and exhibiting bias against a criminal defendant. Under constitutional Amendment H, which voters…
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First ever disciplinary trial of a Colorado judge scheduled under new system
A disciplinary panel on Thursday scheduled a mid-August hearing to adjudicate the alleged misconduct of Montezuma County Court Judge Ian J. MacLaren. Following voters’ passage of constitutional Amendment H in November 2024, adjudication of serious judicial misconduct allegations is open to public scrutiny earlier in the process. The amendment also created a system in which three-member panels…