judicial misconduct
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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…
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Federal judges rebuke ex-Colorado judicial discipline director for conduct in lawsuit
A pair of federal judges expressed a desire on Thursday to break the logjam on a lawsuit by Colorado’s former judicial discipline director against the state Supreme Court and related entities, while simultaneously showing little tolerance for the plaintiff’s scorched-earth tactics against the defendants and the judges themselves. “I will not be impressed or influenced…
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Federal judge considers second round of sanctions against ex-Colorado judicial discipline director
A federal judge ordered Colorado’s former judicial discipline director on Tuesday to explain why she should not sanction him a second time for filing documents for improper purposes, such as harassment or delay. U.S. District Court Senior Judge Kathryn H. Vratil is already scheduled to hear arguments and evidence on Thursday about potential misrepresentations made…
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Judicial discipline commission reports increased transparency, increased submissions
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…
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10th Circuit upholds finding of no misconduct against Colorado federal judge
A judicial committee for the Denver-based federal appeals court upheld the chief judge’s finding last week that a federal judge in Colorado did not engage in misconduct by handling a civil case involving other attorneys and judges in the state. Ordinarily, misconduct proceedings against federal judges provide anonymity to the complaining party and the subject…
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Judicial Department paid $155,000 in settlements from 2 judges’ misconduct
The Judicial Department paid more than $155,000 to former employees and their attorneys in connection with the misconduct of two trial judges who the Colorado Supreme Court publicly disciplined in 2024. Last May, the Supreme Court censured former Arapahoe County District Court Judge John E. Scipione for failing to disclose an intimate relationship with a staff…
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10th Circuit’s chief judge dismisses misconduct complaint against judge for presentations to political group
The chief judge of the federal appeals court based in Denver has dismissed a misconduct complaint against an unidentified judge who admitted to committing an ethics violation by speaking to a “politically affiliated club.” The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit hears appeals in federal cases arising from Colorado, Oklahoma, Utah, Kansas, New…