judge laurie clark
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Colorado Supreme Court to address child’s CCTV testimony
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The Colorado Supreme Court announced on Monday that it will review the impact of a victim’s closed-circuit testimony on the prosecution of a juvenile defendant. At least three of the court’s seven members must agree to hear an appeal. There is currently one vacancy, which will be filled next month. The justices also signaled they…
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Colorado Supreme Court rules government alone may pursue child neglect allegations
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The government, and only the government, may pursue child neglect cases, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled on Monday, rejecting the argument that children or parents may continue litigating allegations of neglect after the government moves to dismiss. In a 6-1 decision, the Supreme Court relied on the longstanding concept of “parens patriae,” which empowers the…
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Appeals court finds Denver judge wrongly let child witness testify by CCTV
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Colorado’s second-highest court ruled on Thursday that a Denver judge violated the constitutional rights of a juvenile defendant by allowing the victim, who was also a child, to testify in a different room out of concern for the “influence” of the defendant’s parents. However, a three-judge panel for the Court of Appeals concluded the error…
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New Colorado legal organization named after pioneering Denver lawyer
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Members of the legal community gathered at the University of Denver on Wednesday night to dedicate a new professional organization to the late Irving P. Andrews, a prominent lawyer and civil rights advocate. “The very first step in his process is to recognize the suffering of those who are subject to injustice. To do so…
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Denver’s presiding juvenile judge steps down amid misconduct investigation
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The longtime presiding judge of the Denver Juvenile Court, D. Brett Woods, retired from the bench on Friday amid a misconduct investigation whose details are still unclear. “I am proud of my work in the area of juvenile justice,” Woods wrote in a Feb. 8 letter to Chief Justice Brian D. Boatright. “I will cherish…
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Denver judge wrongly revoked jury trial in child neglect case, says appeals court
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A Denver judge acted improperly by canceling a jury trial that two parents had requested in their child neglect case, the state’s second-highest court ruled last month. Although three-judge panels of the Court of Appeals are not bound by each other’s decisions, an appellate panel on Oct. 19 agreed with their counterparts who concluded earlier…
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Denver sex assault verdict reversed after expert vouched for victim’s credibility
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Colorado’s second-highest court reversed a defendant’s child sex assault convictions earlier this month because an expert witness, who had no connection to the specific case, effectively told jurors the victim’s explanations were true. In child sex assault cases, a generalized, or “blind,” expert may testify about how alleged victims react to and disclose incidents of…
