“The public's confidence in the judiciary hinges on the public’s perception of it,
and that perception necessarily hinges on the media’s portrayal of the legal system.“
— Justice Felix Frankfurter, quoted in “Journalism and the Judiciary,” 1997.
The Colorado Bar Association and the Colorado Judicial Department have teamed up to create “Law School for Journalists,” a series of classes designed to provide reporters with basic information about the legal system and the judiciary. These free 1.5-hour sessions will take place occasionally at the Colorado Bar Association, 1900 Grant St., Third Floor, Denver, CO 80203. Each session will focus on one primary area of the law.
The classes will be designed to provide you with information to give you insight into the legal issues you are covering, enabling you to more insightfully, accurately and easily write your stories. Each session will feature attorneys and/or members of the judiciary. Each session is considered to be on the record.
Members of the media outside the Metro Denver area will be able to access the sessions via a live webcast. To RSVP for any session, or if you have any questions, please contact Heather Folker at hfolker@cobar.org.
Classes and Materials:
Aug. 8, 2016, 8:30 to 10 a.m.
Colorado's judicial merit selection system -- or, how a judge becomes a judge -- its applications and benefits. (announcement)
Judge your Judges - handout from the Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation
Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation presentation
Presentation by former Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Russell Carparelli
Video recording of presentation (begins at 02:50)
March 18, 2013, 8:30 to 10 a.m.
The Insanity Defense, the Death Penalty and Media Law (announcement)
Handout: The insanity defense and the death penalty, by Karen Steinhauser
Handout: Public Access Issues in High Profile Criminal Cases
Click here to watch a video of the session.
Aug. 7, 2012, 8:30 to 10 a.m.
The Life of a Criminal Case, exploring procedural issues in criminal cases, insanity defenses and the death penalty.
Handouts:
The Life of a Criminal Case, by Our Courts Colorado
Procedures regarding insanity and Incompetency issues and the death penalty, by Karen Steinhauser
Here is the video recording of the session.
July 20, 2011, 8:30 to 10 a.m.
Redistricting (Announcement)
Materials and offsite links:
- Congressional Redistricting, by John Zakhem, Esq.
- Colorado Reapportionment Commission, by Tom Downey
- This session may be viewed by clicking here.
May 16, 2011, 8:30 to 10 a.m.
Juveniles in the Legal System (Announcement)
Materials:
March 29, 2011, 8:30 to 10 a.m.
Open Meetings, Open Records and the Shield Law (Announcement)
Materials:
- Topics in FOIA and Sunshine Law, by Christopher P. Beall, Levine Sullivan Koch & Schulz LLP
- Sunshine Law Primer, by Christopher P. Beall, Levine Sullivan Koch & Schulz LLP
Feb. 22, 2011, 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
The Colorado Courts and intellectual property law (Announcement)
Materials:
- Covering the Courts: Procedural and Intellectual Property Basics that Every Journalist Should Know, by the Hon. Richard L. Gabriel
Jan. 26, 2011, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Immigration Law in Colorado (Announcement)
Materials:
Feb. 19, 2009, 8:30 to 10 a.m.
Colorado Ski Safety Act (announcement)
Materials:
- Ski Safety Act
- "Ski Law in Colorado: The Timorous No Longer Stay At Home"
- In re Stamp v. The Vail Corp.
- Kotun v. Howe
- Cearley v. Hudgens
- Grigg v. Wintergreen Partners Inc.
- People of the State of Colorado v. Nathan Hall
- Eric Bayer v. Crested Butte Mountain Resort
- Hoar v. Great E. Resort Corp.
- David E. Graven v. Vail Associates Inc.
- Bhrett Pizza v. Wolf Creek Ski Development Corp.
- Skier and Snowboarder Safety, by James H. Chalat
- Ski Safety Act, presentation by Peter W. Rietz
Oct. 20, 2008, 8:30 to 10 a.m.
Election Law (agenda)
Materials:
- 2008 Election: Colorado Voting Rights (PowerPoint presentation)
July 1, 2008 8:30 to 10:00 a.m.
Merit Selection, Judicial Performance and Retention (agenda)
Materials:
- Merit Selection Presentation (Power Point)
- Judicial Performance and Retention Presentation (Power Point)
- 2008 Judicial Performance Fact Sheet
- 2008 Judges Eligible to Stand for Retention
- 2000 to 2006 Eligible vs Stood for Retention
- Trial Judge Survey Response Rates
- Appellate Judge Survey Response Rates
- State Commission Members
- 2007 Rules Governing the Commission
July 19, 2007 8:30-10:00 a.m. |
Attorney Regulation & Discipline (agenda) |
Colorado Bar Association 1900 Grant St., 9th floor |
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May 24, 2007 8:30-10:00 a.m. |
Employment Law: Litigation, Discrimination, Harassment, Defenses and more (agenda) |
Colorado Bar Association 1900 Grant St., 9th floor |
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Mar. 13, 2007 8:30-10:00 a.m. |
Water Law: The Basics & Beyond (agenda) | Colorado Bar Association 1900 Grant St., 9th floor |
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Feb. 1, 2007 8:30-10:00 a.m. |
Foreclosures (agenda) | Colorado Bar Association 1900 Grant St., 9th floor |
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Dec. 12, 2006 8:30-10:00 a.m. |
Legal issues of non-traditional partnerships: dissolution, children and death (agenda) | Colorado Bar Association 1900 Grant St., 9th floor |
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Aug. 10, 2006
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Back to School (agenda) | Colorado Bar Association 1900 Grant St., 3rd floor |
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July 11, 2006
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Peaceably to assemble: Protests, petitions and freedom of speech (agenda) | Colorado Bar Association 1900 Grant St., 3rd floor |
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Jun. 7, 2006 |
Has the well run dry? Water law and population growth. (agenda) | Colorado Bar Association 1900 Grant St., 3rd floor |
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Apr. 6, 2006 | What about the $2 million cup of McDonald’s coffee? (agenda) | Colorado Supreme Court 2 East 14th Ave, 5th floor |
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Mar. 2, 2006 | Children’s law yesterday, today and tomorrow (agenda) | Colorado Bar Association 1900 Grant St., 3rd floor |
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Feb. 7, 2006 | Who, what, when, and where: Sex offenders in Colorado | Colorado Bar Association 1900 Grant St., 3rd floor |
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Jan. 5, 2006 | Immigration | Colorado Bar Association 1900 Grant St., 3rd floor |
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Dec. 6, 2005 | Eminent Domain | Colorado Bar Association 1900 Grant St., 3rd floor |
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Sara Crocker Colorado Bar Association |
Robert McCallum, Public Information Officer |