Tag: domestic violence
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Aurora council moves forward with plans to stop prosecuting domestic violence, challenge state law
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Aurora lawmakers on Monday night moved forward with items that deal with the city’s handling of domestic violence cases and potentially explore a lawsuit against the state over a new law on indigent defense. The first of the two is a resolution that directs “the City Manager, City Attorney, Court Administrator, and Presiding Judge to…
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Aurora lawmakers to discuss plan for ridding municipal court of domestic violence cases
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Aurora’s lawmakers will continue conversations about removing domestic violence cases from municipal court and vote to move forward with a resolution telling the city attorney to challenge a recently-passed Colorado law that would ban flat fee contracts for indigent defense. In Monday night’s study session, Councilmember Dustin Zvonek will bring forward a resolution draft for…
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Aurora committee OKs ordinance sending domestic violence cases to county courts
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The public safety committee of the Aurora City Council voted on Thursday morning to move forward with a proposal to remove domestic violence cases from municipal court and instead pass them to state, county or federal court. The proposed ordinance, presented on Thursday by councilmembers Dustin Zvonek and Danielle Jurinsky to the Public Safety, Courts…
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2 Aurora councilmembers team up in push to shift domestic violence cases to county courts
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Two Aurora councilmembers are teaming up in the push to end the city’s ability to handle domestic violence cases in municipal court, a responsibility that sets the latter apart from other local governments. Councilmember Dustin Zvonek and Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky in the past week have both addressed the possibility of handing domestic violence cases to…
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Fire chief in Teller County arrested, faces domestic violence charges
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Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Four Mile Protection Chief Chris Hawkins, 41, was arrested last month by the Teller County Sheriff’s Office. Hawkins was charged with misdemeanors to include domestic violence, harassment, obstructing telephone service and emergency-fake crime. Hawkins posted bond and is scheduled to appear April 22 in Teller…
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El Paso County domestic violence conviction reversed because of biased juror
Colorado’s second-highest court has ordered a new trial for a man convicted of domestic violence-related offenses after acknowledging an unusual scenario in which the trial judge, prosecutor and defense attorney confused one juror for another, and neglected to dismiss the juror they all agreed was biased. An El Paso County jury convicted Cory James Wooldridge in…
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Arapahoe County domestic violence conviction reversed for constitutional violation
An Arapahoe County judge improperly limited a defendant’s constitutional right to confront her victim, prompting Colorado’s second-highest court to reverse her conviction last month. Jurors found Richel Lee Gurule guilty in 2022 of assaulting her romantic partner at the time. Each woman said the other was the aggressor. Before trial, the judge permitted the defense…
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In house or privatize: Comparing indigent legal defense in Aurora, Denver and Colorado Springs
As Aurora’s policymakers debate the future of its Public Defender’s Office, an analysis of Colorado’s two other biggest cities shows major differences in structure and costs, largely driven by the types of cases their indigent legal teams handle. Both Denver and Aurora have in-house public defender’s offices, while Colorado Springs contracts out for indigent client…
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Appeals court clarifies standards for no-contact orders involving children
Colorado’s second-highest court clarified last month that judges need to account for certain factors when deciding whether to loosen a defendant’s no-contact order against a child, and an El Paso County judge did not consider the proper criteria when refusing to modify the restrictions. Under state law, judges impose protection orders, also known as restraining…
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Colorado Springs man arrested on suspicion of assault after being shot in the head by his wife
Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save A Colorado Springs man was arrested Friday after being shot in the head during a domestic violence incident, according to a written statement from police. Morgan Chess, 30, is suspected of attacking his wife before he was shot and could face a felony assault charge,…