Our Mission

In 2024, over half a million Coloradans voted for president but completely skipped the judicial retention questions. This phenomenon—known as "ballot drop-off"—means hundreds of thousands of voters leave critical decisions about our legal system blank.

In a recent piece published in The Docket by Rian Nelson for the Colorado Judicial Institute, we dive into why this matters and how Coloradans can make informed choices without getting bogged down in party politics.

Everyone, at some point and in some job, will have a performance review. They are critical to ensuring that an office, store, or team runs smoothly. It’s a place of accountability for both the supervisor and the employee. They are routine at almost every workplace, and in the state of Colorado, the position of judge is no different; only their supervisors are the public.

Colorado doesn't elect judges through partisan campaigns. Instead, our state uses a merit selection system designed to balance judicial independence with public accountability.

Members of the Colorado Supreme Court sat down with lawyers on Wednesday to answer questions about behind-the-scenes topics, including what happens immediately after an appeal is argued, why they might intervene in an ongoing case, and the consequence of a majority flipping from one side to the other.
Five of the seven justices were speaking at the Colorado Judicial Institute’s Straight Talk with the Justices hosted by the Denver law office of Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell LLP.