Tag: Judiciary Scandal
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Judicial discipline changes moving at a slow pace
Colorado’s judicial system is barely closer to fixing what some have called a broken process of disciplining judges a year after voters approved a new method of dealing with the issue and eight months after revelations the state fosters a private system of judges who fall outside of that oversight. The state’s Commission on Judicial…
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Judicial discipline changes moving at a slow pace
Colorado’s judicial system is barely closer to fixing what some have called a broken process of disciplining judges a year after voters approved a new method of dealing with the issue and eight months after revelations the state fosters a private system of judges who fall outside of that oversight. The state’s Commission on Judicial…
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Senate rejects Colorado judicial discipline appointee while approving another
The Colorado state Senate on Wednesday rejected the reappointment of the chairwoman to the state panel that handles judicial discipline but narrowly kept its vice-chair. Needing 18 votes to confirm their reappointments to the Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline, chairwoman Mindy Sooter came up two votes shy (19-16 against), while Jim Carpenter was approved by…
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Case against district judge in Adams County allegedly ‘slow-walked’ to discipline commission
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A second judicial discipline case, that of 17th Judicial District Judge Robert Kiesnowski Jr. who resigned last year, has key connections with Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Brian Boatright, according to documents and interviews. District Court Judge Robert W. Kiesnowski Jr. Despite promises by Boatright to state legislators in 2021 that he would monitor all…
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Judge’s drinking problems reportedly at core of discipline case; colleagues knew, but never reported it
At least three judges — Colorado’s Supreme Court chief justice and a now-retired appellate court judge among them — years ago knew of a Denver juvenile court judge’s drinking problems but never reported them, then maintained that silence while a courthouse manager who had sought their help in confronting the judge faced firing instead, The Denver…
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Colorado voters to see constitutional amendment on judicial discipline reform in 2024
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Along with the next American president, Colorado voters in November 2024 will decide whether to change the state’s system of disciplining its judges, the culmination of a judiciary scandal that began nearly five years ago with revelations of an insider-deal contract. The Colorado legislature on Monday formally approved the proposed amendment – House Concurrent Resolution…
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Judicial discipline commission wants former Supreme Court Chief Justice Coats censured for role in contract scandal
In an unprecedented flexing of its authority, the Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline late Tuesday requested a public censure of former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan “Ben” Coats for his role in a multi-million dollar contract that was awarded to a former employee who faced firing. It is the first discipline ever requested by…
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Senate committee passes judicial reform measures with key changes
A state Senate committee in a red-eye midnight meeting Wednesday approved a trio of measures designed to overhaul Colorado’s method of disciplining judges, the latest move in a legislative process that ultimately would land before voters in 2024. The three measures — House Concurrent Resolution 23-1001, House Bill 23-1019 and House Bill 23-1205 — passed…
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Bills overhauling judicial discipline unanimously pass Colorado House panel
The bills are the result of summer-long hearings by a special legislative committee formed after allegations surfaced in 2021 about judicial misconduct that went unpunished or was handled leniently.
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Colorado discipline commission accuses legal system’s discipline chief of illegal intimidation
Discipline enforcer accused commission members of making false statements about lack of cooperation