Tag: justice brian boatright
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Allegations against ex-Arapahoe County judge encompassed sexual comments to staff, improper influence in case
Documents provided by the Colorado Supreme Court revealed in detail the cascading allegations against former Arapahoe County District Court Judge John E. Scipione, who resigned last year and was censured earlier this month for misconduct towards staff and colleagues. The Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline initiated multiple investigations against Scipione, beginning after two 18th Judicial…
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Ethics, family law and AI: Colorado’s justices, judges speak about appellate do’s and don’ts
During a pair of events earlier this month, one for young lawyers and one for appellate attorneys more broadly, several of Colorado’s judges and justices provided commentary on subjects ranging from professionalism and artificial intelligence to key developments within the judiciary. Chief Justice Brian D. Boatright also disclosed he will swear in Justice Monica M. Márquez on July…
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‘Pretty shocking’: Colorado justices review case where defendant’s lawyer was also being prosecuted
Members of the Colorado Supreme Court appeared hesitant last week to endorse automatic reversal of an El Paso County defendant’s convictions because he was seemingly unaware his lawyer was simultaneously being prosecuted by the same district attorney’s office. However, some justices agreed the system failed to adequately protect the rights of Matthew Rodolfo Vansant Lopez from…
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Chief justice gives update on judicial center damage, says he initially thought break-in was Trump-related
Chief Justice Brian D. Boatright detailed on Friday the “tremendous amount of damage” that still exists at the Ralph L. Carr Colorado Judicial Center and disclosed he initially thought the Jan. 2 break-in was related to the Supreme Court’s decision to remove Donald Trump from the state’s presidential primary ballot. Brandon Olsen caused an estimated $35 million…
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Colorado justices, attorneys take questions from students with focus on gender disparity
The Colorado Supreme Court traveled to Pueblo on Thursday where it heard oral arguments in two real cases and fielded questions from students, with a focus on the experiences of the three female justices in contrast with the male majority. “I used to be a trial court judge and every now and then, I had…
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Colorado justices leave question unanswered of who should handle interstate couple’s divorce
The state Supreme Court acknowledged its decision on Monday, involving a Denver judge’s erroneous finding that she had jurisdiction over a divorce between a Nebraska man and his Colorado wife, did not answer the question of how a court could, in fact, handle the case. “In our review, we found no straightforward answer to this…
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Pax Moultrie, longtime juvenile lawyer and judge, ceremonially sworn in to Court of Appeals
When she was a child, Pax L. Moultrie spent hours deconstructing the “fairness of playground rules,” her father recalled. “Your journey has been a testament to your unique blend of precocity and pragmatism. You devoured legal texts with the same fervor most youngsters reserve for comic books,” said Ben Moultrie, speaking last week to an…
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Colorado justices agree DUI suspects can change mind after initially refusing chemical test
The Colorado Supreme Court agreed on Monday that drunk driving suspects can change their mind after initially refusing to take a blood or breath test, meaning an Arapahoe County judge wrongly blocked jurors from hearing about the defendant’s ultimate consent to take a test after all. The 6-1 decision technically means defendant Glen Gary Montoya…
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Colorado Supreme Court permits Boulder prosecutors to use murder suspect’s statements to police
The Colorado Supreme Court ruled on Monday that prosecutors in Boulder County may use a murder suspect’s statements to police as evidence because officers did not need to give the defendant a Miranda warning prior to asking about all of the blood on him. Brandon Mason Bohler stands accused of first-degree murder for fatally stabbing…
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Colorado Supreme Court to hear cases on open records, illegal sentencing, insurance dispute
The Colorado Supreme Court announced on Monday it will hear appeals in multiple cases, including the question of whether the public may access information about law enforcement officers who have been decertified for misconduct. At least three of the court’s seven members must agree to review an appeal. Among the cases granted, the justices took…