Commemoration aligns with Colorado’s 150th anniversary of statehood and America’s 250th anniversary.

Denver — Today, the Colorado Judicial Department announced the start of a celebration for the 150th anniversary of the Colorado Courts. This year marks a significant milestone, recognizing the courts’ important role in Colorado’s constitution and their service to Coloradans since 1876. The anniversary also aligns with Colorado’s 150th year as a state and the nation’s 250th birthday, offering a special opportunity to consider how Colorado’s courts are part of the larger American story. 

Since 1876, the Colorado court system has supported the rule of law, settled disputes, and protected the rights of millions of people in Colorado. 

The campaign will run from May to September 2026 and focuses on a central message: For 150 years, the Colorado Courts have safeguarded fairness, justice, and the rule of law. As America celebrates 250 years and Colorado marks 150 years of statehood, we remember the past, celebrate progress, and look toward a future where everyone can access justice. 

“This anniversary invites us to reflect on the Judicial Department’s role in preserving democratic principles and protecting the rule of law in Colorado,” said Chief Justice Monica M. Márquez. “It is an opportunity to honor our past while reaffirming our commitment to the fair and impartial administration of justice.” 

In the months ahead, the Judicial Department will share stories about the history of Colorado’s courts, the people behind the justice system, and new ideas that are improving court services. The campaign will also focus on civic education, helping Coloradans learn how the courts work and why they are important in our democracy. These topics will be part of a public outreach effort to build trust, transparency, and understanding. 

To engage the public in this milestone celebration, the Judicial Department is launching a dedicated 150th Anniversary website hub. The featured page on coloradojudicial.gov will feature historical content, educational resources for students and teachers, and a collection of stories and videos that introduce the public to the department’s work and people.  

For more information and to explore the 150th Anniversary hub, visit coloradojudicial.gov/150-anniversary. 

DENVER − On May 1, 1986 (Law Day), the Colorado Supreme Court and Court of Appeals launched its Courts in the Community educational outreach program for Colorado high schools. In the 40 years since, the program has given an estimated 50,000 students and teachers from every Colorado judicial district a firsthand look at how the state’s judicial system operates and how disputes are resolved in a democratic society. 

Each spring and fall, the Colorado Supreme Court justices and Court of Appeals judges hit the road, traveling to high schools (and sometimes colleges and law schools) to hold oral arguments in real cases. The program gives students a unique opportunity to meet with justices and judges and may serve as their first meaningful introduction to the judiciary. 

“Bringing our appellate courts to high schools is truly a highlight for the justices and judges,” said Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Monica Márquez. “At the Colorado Judicial Department, we want to get to know the communities we serve and for Coloradans to understand the courts’ role. This outreach program allows us to meet with students and teachers in their own town or city and provides an opportunity for them to observe how cases are argued and how the rule of law is applied.”

Judicial staff and schools start planning at least six months in advance. The courts select cases that will interest and are appropriate for students. Using a curriculum designed for this program, teachers prepare students (typically from civics and government classes) to hear oral arguments in the cases.

In the past year, the courts have rewritten the curriculum to meet Colorado educational standards for civics, added hands-on activities for diverse learners, and provided lecture outlines and readings. Many of the lessons include video intros from the Colorado Supreme Court justices. See lesson plans on our website: https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/community-and-educational-resources/lesson-plans

After oral arguments, students ask the attorneys questions about the cases and meet with judges and justices. 

Jeremy Dorsey, a social studies teacher at Alamosa High School, said a Court of Appeals’ visit to the high school in September 2025 has inspired many students to consider a career in law and to take a more active role in local issues. 

“The Courts in the Community program gave them the ability to feel like an active participant in the judicial process,” Dorsey said. “Additionally, it helped establish a strong foundation when analyzing other appellate or even U.S. Supreme Court cases as we moved through the curriculum.” 

Brian Kurz, a social studies teacher at Peetz High School, drove students to Holyoke High School recently for a Colorado Supreme Court program and described the experience as transformational.  

“I appreciate the courts coming to the middle of nowhere and showing these kids what could be out there for their futures if they dared to dream big,” Kurz said.  

Chief Justice Márquez said the dedication of teachers and host schools has made it possible for judges and justices to interact with thousands of young people. “We are thrilled that this educational program allows students to see the judicial branch in action and the role the courts play in a democratic society,” she said. 

Learn more about the program: https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/community-and-educational-resources/courts-community 

Press kit materials, listed below, can be accessed online and downloaded with a PIN number, which communications staff can provide:

https://galleries.pixieset.com/collections/113130962/sets/162385949.

• Supreme Court Justices hold Oral Arguments in Holyoke High School April 2026 
• Supreme Court Justices talk to students at Holyoke High School April 2026 
• Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Johnson, Judge Lipinsky and Judge Moultrie hold Oral Arguments at Green Mountain High School in Lakewood Feb. 2025 
• Students at Green Mountain High School listen to Oral Arguments in Lakewood Feb. 2025 
• Students ask questions of Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Johnson, Judge Lipinsky and Judge Moultrie at Green Mountain High School in Lakewood Feb. 2025 
• Court of Appeals Judge Welling, Judge Gomez and Judge Sullivan at Courts in the Community program Alamosa High School Sept. 2025 

Commission sets date to select nominees 

The 4th Judicial District Nominating Commission will meet on June 30, 2026, at the El Paso County Judicial Building, 270 S. Tejon St., Colorado Springs, CO 80903, to interview and select nominees for appointment by the governor to the office of county judge for the 4th Judicial District (El Paso County). The vacancy will occur due to the retirement of the Honorable D. Denise Peacock, effective August 1, 2026.

To be eligible, the applicant must be a qualified elector of El Paso County at the time of investiture and must have been admitted to the practice of law in Colorado. The current annual salary for this position is $195,001.25. The initial term of office of a county judge is a provisional term of two years; thereafter, the incumbent county judge, if approved by the voters, has a term of four years.

Application forms are available from the office of the ex officio chair of the nominating commission, Justice Richard L. Gabriel, 2 E. 14th Ave., Denver, CO 80203, and the office of the Court Executive, Scott Sosebee, 719-452-5000 at 270 S Tejon St., Colorado Springs, CO 80903.

Applications are also available on the court’s home page at https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/careers/judge-opportunities.

The completed application must be emailed to the address listed in the instructions below by 4:00 p.m. on June 10, 2026. Late applications will not be considered. Any person wishing to suggest a candidate to fill the vacancy may do so by letter to be submitted to any member of the nominating commission, with a copy to the ex officio chair, no later than June 3, 2026, by 4:00 p.m.

The members of the nominating commission for the 4th Judicial District are:

Andrew Pappadakis of Woodland Park; Michael Allen of Monument; Shahera Shalabi, Paul Hurcomb, Ian Kalmanowitz, Roland Rainey, and Misty Plowright, all of Colorado Springs. 

Editor’s Note: Contact information for the nominating commission members: 

·        Shahera Shalabi, sshalabi@usada.org

·        Paul Hurcomb, pwh@sparkswillson.com

·        Ian Kalmanowitz, ian@coloradoemploymentlaw.com

·        Andrew Pappadakis, apappadakis@hsd2.org

·        Roland Rainey, rojune28@yahoo.com

·        Misty Plowright, misty.plowright@gmail.com

·        Michael Allen, mtallen@mikemoranlaw.com

Nominating Commission sets date to select nominees

The Colorado Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission will meet on June 22, 2026, at the Ralph L. Carr Judicial Center, 2 E. 14th Ave., Denver, CO 80203, to interview and select nominees for appointment by the governor to the Colorado Court of Appeals. The vacancy will be created by the Honorable Gilbert M. Román's retirement. The vacancy will occur on August 1, 2026. 

To be eligible for appointment to fill a vacancy, the applicant must be a qualified elector of the State of Colorado and must have been admitted to the practice of law in Colorado for five years. The annual salary for a court of appeals judge is currently $212,535.14. The initial term of office of a Court of Appeals judge is a provisional two-year term. Thereafter, the incumbent judge, if retained by the voters, serves an eight-year term. 

Application forms are available from the office of the ex officio chair of the Nominating Commission, Chief Justice Monica Márquez, 2 E. 14th Ave., Denver, CO 80203, or from the Court of Appeals Clerk, Tiffany Mortier, 2 E. 14th Ave., Denver, CO 80203. Applications are also available on the court’s home page at coloradojudicial.gov/careers/judge-opportunities. 

The completed application must be emailed to the address listed in the instructions below no later than 4 p.m. on May 27, 2026. Late applications will not be considered. Any person wishing to suggest a candidate to fill the vacancy may do so by letter to be submitted to any member of the nominating commission, with a copy to the ex officio chair, no later than 4 p.m. on May 20, 2026.   

The members of the nominating commission for the Supreme Court are: Peter Gould, of Boulder; Lisa Kaufmann, of Lyons; Daneya Esgar, of Pueblo; Steve ErkenBrack, of Grand Junction; Kevin Duffy, of Castle Rock; Patrick O’Rourke, of Highlands Ranch; Dr. Paul Wiggins, of Peyton; John Suthers, of Colorado Springs; Marco Chayet, of Centennial; Janet Buckner, of Aurora; Alejandra Major, of Lakewood; Edwin Perlmutter, of Arvada; Eva Henry, of Thornton; Jerome DeHerrera, of Westminster; Alvina Vasquez, of Wheat Ridge; and Ageno Otii and David Powell, both of Denver. 

Editor’s Note: Contact information for the nominating commission members: 

• David Powell, david.powell@garnettlegalgroup.com  
• Ageno Otii, aotii@coloradohealth.org  
• Peter Gould, peter.gould@squirepb.com 
• Lisa Kaufmann, lisakaufmann@gmail.com      
• Daneya Esgar, daneya.esgar@gmail.com  
• Steve ErkenBrack, serkenbrack@buellfoundation.org  
• Kevin Duffy, kduffy8905@gmail.com  
• Patrick O’Rourke, patricktorourke@gmail.com  
• Dr. Paul Wiggins, wigginsp20@gmail.com  
• John Suthers, jjsuthers@comcast.net  
• Marco Chayet, marco@coloradoelderlaw.com  
• Janet Buckner, jpbuckner@msn.com  
• Alejandra Major, alejandra.major@gmail.com 
• Edwin Perlmutter, ed.perlmutter@hklaw.com  
• Eva Henry, evajhenry@gmail.com  
• Jerome DeHerrera, jdh@achievelawgroup.com  
• Alvina Vasquez, alvina@powermapltd.com  

Governor to appoint new district court judges

The 4th Judicial District Nominating Commission has nominated five candidates for two district court judgeships, effective on July 1, 2026, and June 1, 2026, respectively, created by SB25-024 and the retirement of Judge David Prince.

Amy Patricia Cullen Cano, Tanya A. Karimi, Mary Kominek Linden, David Michael Lipka, and Lara Yoder Nafziger, all of Colorado Springs, were selected by the commission on April 9, 2026.

Under the Colorado Constitution, the governor has 15 days from today to appoint two of the nominees as district court judges for the 4th Judicial District (El Paso and Teller counties).

Comments regarding any of the nominees may be sent via e-mail to the governor at

gov_judicialappointments@state.co.us

Editor’s Note: Contact information for the five nominees:

• Amy Patricia Cullen Cano. 270 S. Tejon St., Colorado Springs, CO 80903. 719-452-5533.
• Tanya A. Karimi. 105 East Vermijo Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80903. 719-520-7722.
• Mary Kominek Linden. 111 S. Tejon Street, Suite 202, Colorado Springs, CO 80903. 719-205-8003.
• David Michael Lipka. 320 S. Nevada Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80903. 719-867-2217.
• Lara Yoder Nafziger. 270 S. Tejon Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80903. 719-452-5400. 

Governor to appoint new county court judge

The 4th Judicial District Nominating Commission has nominated three candidates for a county court judgeship created by the retirement of Honorable Steven Katzman, effective May 27, 2026.

Charles D. Allen, Douglas Glen Bechtel, and Christina S. Perroni, all of Colorado Springs, were selected by the commission on April 8, 2026.

Under the Colorado Constitution, the governor has 15 days from today to appoint one of the nominees as a county court judge for the 4th Judicial District (El Paso County).

Comments regarding any of the nominees may be sent via e-mail to the governor at:

gov_judicialappointments@state.co.us

Editor’s Note: Contact information for the three nominees:

• Charles D. Allen. 6 S. Tejon St., Ste. 550, Colorado Springs, CO 80903. 719-650-9149.

• Douglas Glen Bechtel. 270 S. Tejon St., Colorado Springs, CO 80903. 719-452-5201.

• Christina S. Perroni. 105 E. Vermijo Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80903. 719-520-7036.

For questions about this announcement, please contact the Colorado Supreme Court Clerk's Office at: 720-625-5150.

Grants provide funding for nonprofit organizations providing civil legal services to low-income people experiencing family violence

DENVER—The Colorado Judicial Department has opened the application period for fiscal year 2026-27 grants from the Family Violence Justice Fund. The grants provide funding to Colorado nonprofit organizations that help low-income people who are experiencing family violence.

Successful grant recipients must have experience providing legal services, including legal representation, to eligible persons in areas such as protection orders, divorce, legal separation, child custody, child support, or other judicial actions where legal services are necessary to protect the client’s interests related to family violence. Grants are awarded to qualifying organizations based on a geographic, need-driven formula that considers the number of low-income individuals who may require services in each county or city across the State.

Funding available for the upcoming grant cycle is anticipated to be $2.1 million. In Fiscal Year 2025-26, sixteen organizations received grants totaling $2.1 million.

Application links, rules, and other information about the grant program may be found at coloradojudicial.gov/financial-services/family-violence-justice-fund-grant-program. Applications must be received through the Office of the State Court Administrator’s grant management system, AmpliFund, by 5 p.m. on April 30, 2026. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Please direct questions to FamilyViolenceJusticeFund@judicial.state.co.us.

Grants provide funding for nonprofit organizations that provide civil legal services to indigent individuals facing eviction

DENVER—The Colorado Judicial Department has opened the application period for fiscal year 2026-27 grants from the Eviction Legal Defense Fund. The grants provide funding to Colorado nonprofit organizations that assist low-income individuals who are experiencing eviction or are at immediate risk of eviction. 

Successful grant recipients must have experience providing legal services, including legal representation, to eligible persons facing eviction proceedings, actions for monetary damages, lease violations, or other judicial actions where legal services are necessary to protect the tenant's interests. Grants are awarded to qualifying organizations based on a geographic, need-driven formula that considers the number of forcible entry and detainer filings (i.e., eviction actions) in each county or city and county across the State.

Funding available for the upcoming grant cycle is anticipated to be $1.1 million. In fiscal year 2026-27, seven organizations received grants totaling $1.1 million. Application links, rules, and other information about the grant program may be found at coloradojudicial.gov/financial-services/eviction-legal-defense-fund-grant-program. Applications must be received through the Office of the State Court  Administrator’s grant management system, AmpliFund, by 5 p.m. on April 30, 2026. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. 

Please direct questions to evictionlegaldefensefund@judicial.state.co.us.

Commission sets date to select nominees

The 4th Judicial District Nominating Commission will meet on April 9, 2026, at the El Paso County Judicial Building, 270 S. Tejon St., Colorado Springs, CO 80903, to interview and select nominees for appointment by the governor to the office of district judge for the 4th Judicial District (El Paso and Teller Counties). The new district court judgeship was created pursuant to SB25-024 and takes effect on July 1, 2026. 

To be eligible, the applicant must be a qualified elector of the 4th Judicial District at the time of investiture and must have been admitted to the practice of law in Colorado for five years. The current annual salary for this position is $203,768.20. The initial term of office of a district judge is a provisional term of two years; thereafter, the incumbent district judge, if retained by the voters, has a term of six years. 

Application forms are available from the office of the ex officio chair of the nominating commission, Justice Brian Boatright, 2 E. 14^th Ave., Denver, CO 80203, and the office of the Court Executive Scott Sosebee, 719-452-5000/Deputy Court Executive, Bridget Collins, 719-452-5000. Applications are also available on the court’s home page at: https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/careers/judge-opportunities

The completed application must be emailed to the address listed in the instructions below no later than March 30, 2026, by 4:00 p.m. Late applications will not be considered. Any person wishing to suggest a candidate to fill the vacancy may do so by letter to be submitted to any member of the nominating commission, with a copy to the ex officio chair, no later than March 23, 2026, by 4:00 p.m.

The members of the nominating commission for the 4th Judicial District are:

Michael Allen of Monument; Andrew Pappadakis of Woodland Park; and Paul Hurcomb, Ian Kalmanowitz, Roland Rainey, and Misty Plowright, all of Colorado Springs.

Editor’s Note: Contact information for the nominating commission members: 

·      Paul Hurcomb, pwh@sparkswillson.com

·      Ian Kalmanowitz, ian@coloradoemploymentlaw.com

·      Roland Rainey, rojune28@yahoo.com

·      Misty Plowright, misty.plowright@gmail.com

·      Michael Allen, mtallen@mikemoranlaw.com

·      Andrew Pappadakis, apappadakis@hsd2.org

Grants provide funding for courthouses with limited resources

DENVER—The Colorado Judicial Department has opened the application period for fiscal year 2026-27 grants from the Court Security Cash Fund, which was enacted in 2007. The grants provide supplemental funding for courthouse security at state court facilities in Colorado counties with the most limited resources.

Funds from the grants may be used for supplemental court security staffing at a facility containing a state court or probation office, security equipment or related structural improvements at a facility containing a state court or probation office, training of local security teams, miscellaneous needs associated with court security, or emergency needs related to court security. Funds may not be used for architectural services, non-security related construction, firearms or other weapons, POST certification training, computers and computer servers unless a part of a security system, equipment not clearly identified as having a court security purpose, vehicles, ADA compliance issues that do not concern security, or emergency lighting already required by a fire marshal.

Grants to counties are awarded according to a priority schedule set by statute. To be designated as highest priority for grants, counties must meet at least two of four criteria set in the statute: counties whose total population is below the state median; counties in which per-capita income is below the state median; counties in which property tax revenues are below the state median; and counties in which the population living below the federal poverty line is above the state median. Of those counties, 39 are given the highest priority for grants as they meet at least two of the criteria.

Approximately $2.2 million to $2.8 million is anticipated to be available from the Colorado Court Security Cash Fund. Grant applications must be received through the Office of the State Court Administrator’s grant management system, Euna (formerly known as AmpliFund), by 5 p.m. on April 16, 2026. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Application details, rules, and other information on the grants can be found at coloradojudicial.gov/financial-services/court-security-cash-fund-commission-grant-program.

Questions regarding the application process can be submitted to CourtSecurityGrants@judicial.state.co.us.