By David Migoya | Denver Gazette
Colorado’s method of investigating and disciplining judges for alleged violations of its code of conduct doesn’t apply to retired jurists specially appointed to handle individual cases.
Similarly, the state’s investigative arm that looks into allegations of attorney misconduct also has no jurisdiction over issues involving private judges, as they are known, outside of the same code of professional conduct lawyers must follow, both discipline authorities have told The Denver Gazette.
That means, for the moment, any alleged misconduct by a judge appointed by Colorado’s chief justice to take on a case — The Denver Gazette recently published an investigation, in which it identified at least a half dozen private judges who have made political contributions barred by the Code of Judicial Conduct they are required to abide by — falls into a black hole where no one has any oversight of them.
To that end, Colorado’s Judicial Department on Thursday told The Denver Gazette it would move to amend the “oversight” by considering a change of the rules under which the Commission on Judicial Discipline operates.