public defender
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Colorado’s federal courts announce preparations if shutdown is prolonged
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The federal trial and appeals courts headquartered in Denver have announced anticipated changes to their operations should the lapse in congressional appropriations be prolonged, with Oct. 17 being a critical date for the judiciary. In an Oct. 1 letter to all federal judges, public defenders and related staff, Robert J. Conrad Jr., who heads the…
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‘Weird,’ ‘confusing,’ ‘disheartening’: Colorado Supreme Court under fire over racial bias proposal
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Several members of a Colorado Supreme Court advisory committee aired their frustration last week after the justices announced they had reached consensus on a proposal to combat racial discrimination in jury selection — by substantially watering down the protections built into the original draft. The Supreme Court took the unusual step of asking its Rules of…
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‘100% Ted Lasso’: Timothy O’Hara ceremonially sworn in as federal magistrate judge
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Over two decades ago, Timothy P. O’Hara walked into the Chicago courtroom of Judge Thomas More Donnelly and auditioned in a mock trial for a legal fellowship program Donnelly directed. O’Hara appeared to be a natural trial attorney, Donnelly and the other coaches agreed, but they identified one problem. “Our head coach put it bluntly:…
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‘We all have to take care of each other’: Appeals judges get personal in Jeffco high school appearance
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Three members of the Court of Appeals fielded questions from Jefferson County students on Thursday about the personal aspects of judging, including how they combat their biases and how the cases they hear affect their mental health. Judge Lino S. Lipinsky de Orlov responded that the judges signed up to deal with difficult subject matter,…
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Colorado Senate committee advances bill to create 29 judgeships, with lawmaker support delicate
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The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced a bill to establish 29 new Colorado judgeships by a vote of 6-1 on Wednesday, with supporters and opponents both cautioning that their positions could change based on the availability of money. The committee heard testimony from numerous witnesses in support of the bill, including from sitting judges. Chief Justice…
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Judicial branch tells oversight committees that cost of new judgeships has decreased
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Judicial branch leaders told lawmakers on Monday that their priority for the legislative session — the establishment of 29 new judgeships across Colorado — has come down in cost amid broad concerns about the state’s budget deficit. Chief Justice Monica M. Márquez and State Court Administrator Steven Vasconcellos previously informed the Joint Budget Committee that the cost of…
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Colorado Supreme Court rejects effort to let judges restrict defense lawyers’ work on postconviction claims
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The Colorado Supreme Court clarified on Monday that trial judges cannot restrict defense attorneys from investigating postconviction claims their clients raise when at least one of the claims has merit. Convicted defendants may seek postconviction relief for specific reasons, including that their sentence is illegal, new evidence has come to light or their conviction violated the U.S.…
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Colorado Supreme Court wary of letting judges restrict defense lawyers’ work on postconviction claims
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Members of the Colorado Supreme Court seemed sympathetic last week to the idea that trial judges, under the current rules for criminal cases, cannot restrict defense attorneys from investigating postconviction claims their clients raise when at least one of the claims has merit. Convicted defendants may seek postconviction relief for specific reasons, including that their sentence is…
