COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The 4th Judicial District is now accepting applications for the appointment of a public administrator.

A public administrator is a private individual appointed by the Chief Judge to collect, protect, and manage the assets of certain living individuals, typically through conservatorship, and to administer the estates of certain decedents, when the decedent does not have a person willing and/or able to administer the estate.

A public administrator is not an employee of any city, county, or state government entity or agency, including the appointing district.

The appointee must be a qualified elector over 21 years of age and must be a resident or maintain a principal place of business in the 4th Judicial District (El Paso and Teller counties).

Applications must be submitted via email to Scott Sosebee, 4th Judicial District court executive, at scott.sosebee@judicial.state.co.us, and include a cover letter detailing the applicant's qualifications, a resume, and three professional references.

Applications must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. on Jan. 23, 2026. 

To learn more about the public administrator position, visit coloradojudicial.gov/media/19343. 

###

DENVER— Chief Justice Monica Márquez today announced her appointments to the Colorado Supreme Court’s newly established Legal Technology Advisory Committee. The Committee will play a central role in helping the Colorado judiciary and legal community navigate emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), to ensure that justice, integrity, and innovation remain at the forefront of Colorado’s legal system.

Chief Justice Márquez charged the Committee with a clear mandate to draft and recommend guidance materials on the use of technology, including AI, for attorneys, licensed legal paraprofessionals, judicial officers, other legal professionals, and members of the public who interact with Colorado’s courts. The Committee will present its recommendations annually, with the first guidance materials due by Oct. 1, 2026.

“Members of the Committee bring significant and wide-ranging experience and expertise in technology, legal ethics, and various substantive areas of law,” said Chief Justice Márquez. “They will assist the Supreme Court in ensuring that legal professionals, judicial officers, and members of the public who interface with the courts employ AI tools responsibly and effectively. I look forward to reviewing the Committee’s recommendations.”

Committee Appointments

The following individuals have been appointed to the Legal Technology Advisory Committee:

Lino Lipinsky, Chair: Judge Lipinsky has served on the Colorado Court of Appeals since 2019 and chairs the Standing Committee on the Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct, as well as serves on a variety of other judicial committees and commissions. He is recognized for his leadership in legal ethics, access to justice, and artificial intelligence, and received the Denver Bar Association’s Judicial Excellence Award in 2025.

Katina Banks:A knowledge attorney at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP, Ms. Banks brings extensive experience in intellectual property, technology transactions, and corporate law. She has held positions in private practice, in-house, and academia, and is an alumna of Capital University Law School and the University of Pennsylvania.

Jill D. Dorancy:Judge Dorancy serves on Denver’s District Court, where she handles civil matters. Her background includes regulatory and litigation work in the energy sector, as well as extensive client service across diverse backgrounds.

Stacy Guillon:Judge Guillon, of the 23rd Judicial District, manages a civil docket and has notable experience as an arbitrator, mediator, and early adopter of AI tools in alternative dispute resolution. She is a graduate of Stanford Law School and Dartmouth College.

April Jones:Founder and CEO of Jones Law Firm, PC, Ms. Jones is a leader in complex domestic relations matters and has served as a judicial nomination commissioner for the state appellate courts. She is recognized for her practical approach to the responsible use of AI and is Senior Vice President of the Colorado Bar Association.

Margot Kaminski:Professor Kaminski is the Moses Lasky Professor of Law at the University of Colorado Law School and the Director of the Privacy Initiative at Silicon Flatirons. She specializes in new technologies, privacy, and AI law, and is a leading scholar in AI regulation.

Lois R. Lupica:Director of the Legal Innovation Lab at the Community Economic Defense Project and the Maine Foundation Professor of Law, Professor Lupica is a national figure in access to justice and legal technology and serves as Chair of the Colorado Access to Justice Commission Technology Committee.

Julia Martinez:Julia Martinez, a former federal prosecutor and Chief of Cybercrime and National Security for the District of Colorado, is an expert in cybercrime, national security, and AI in legal practice. She teaches at the University of Colorado Law School.

Colin Moriarty:A partner at Moriarty Underhill LLC, Mr. Moriarty focuses on business and commercial litigation and is an author and educator on generative AI in legal practice. Mr. Moriarty received his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center.

Damien Riehl:Mr. Riehl is a lawyer and technologist known for his leadership in legal data standards, AI-backed legal software, and advancing technology to improve legal workflows. He is Chair of the Minnesota State Bar Association’s AI Committee.

Michael Siebecker: Professor Siebecker of the University of Denver Sturm College of Law is a scholar whose research intersects with AI, corporate law, and political theory. His work is widely published in leading legal journals, treatises, and books.

Thomas Ward:Magistrate Ward, serving the 20th Judicial District, is recognized for his work in civil and domestic relations and his dedication to access to justice for underserved communities. He also teaches legal ethics and professionalism at the University of Colorado Law School.

Justice Maria Berkenkotter will serve as the Supreme Court’s liaison to the Committee. Justice Berkenkotter is a frequent speaker on legal and judicial ethics and generative artificial intelligence.

The full bios of the committee members are available at coloradojudicial.gov/media/19274.

###

The term of office of United States Magistrate Judge N. Reid Neureiter of the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, expires on August 13, 2026.

The United States District Court is required by law to establish a panel of citizens to consider the reappointment of a magistrate judge to a new eight-year term.

The duties of a magistrate judge in this court include the following: (1) conduct preliminary proceedings in criminal cases; (2) trial and disposition of misdemeanor cases; (3) conduct various pretrial matters and evidentiary proceedings on delegation from a district judge; and (4) trial and disposition of civil cases upon consent of the litigants. Pursuant to D.C.COLO.LCivR 40.1(c), all full-time magistrate judges are included in the assignment of civil cases by random draw. Parties in cases assigned directly to a magistrate judge are required to indicate, through the filing of a consent form by a date certain, whether they accept or decline consent to magistrate judge jurisdiction. The basic authority of a United States magistrate judge is specified in 28 U.S.C. § 636.

Written comments from members of the bar and the public are invited as to whether the incumbent magistrate judge should be recommended by the panel for reappointment by the court.

All comments should be submitted electronically by email, or as a PDF attachment to an email, directly to the Merit Selection Panel at: MJComments@usdccolorado.net.

Comments must be received by 5:00 p.m. on January 23, 2026.

The members of the Merit Selection Panel are:

Marilyn S. Chappell, Esq. – Chairperson

Matthew K. Belcher, Esq.

Daniella C. Correa Shively, Esq.

Yvonne M. Davis

Anna Holland Edwards, Esq.

Adam Grayson, Ph.D.

Dr. Kimberle Jackson-Butler

Chad T. Nitta, Esq.

Leslie C. Schulze, Esq

If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact our office.

Sayre Deane | Human Resources Generalist III

US District Court, District of Colorado

(303) 335-2491

The 4th Judicial District, consisting of the counties of El Paso and Teller, is accepting applications for the appointment of a Public Administrator. A Public Administrator is a person appointed by the court in the judicial district who is available to serve as a personal representative, conservator, trustee, or other fiduciary. A Public Administrator may be appointed in some probate cases when no person is willing or able to serve as a fiduciary, or when the current fiduciary is not performing adequately and must be removed. To be eligible to serve as a Public Administrator, the statute requires a person to be a qualified elector at least 21 years old and to reside or maintain a principal business in the judicial district to which they are appointed. A Public Administrator is not an employee of either the State of Colorado or of the judicial district or the city or county in which the person has been appointed. The person appointed as the Public Administrator shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing district until discharged by the district or until such person’s resignation is accepted by the appointing district.

See flyer for full details

Colorado Supreme Court Justice Melissa Hart Retires 

Application process to begin in January to select the next justice of the Colorado Supreme Court

DENVER – On Dec. 19, 2025, Justice Melissa Hart announced her retirement from the Colorado Supreme Court, effective Jan. 5, 2026. The process to select the next Colorado Supreme Court Justice will commence soon. Qualified attorneys are invited to apply, and more details will be released in the coming two weeks. 

The Supreme Court Nominating Commission will have 30 days from Jan. 5, 2026, to submit the names of three nominees to the Governor for consideration. Once the Governor receives the three nominees, he will then have 15 days to select the next Supreme Court Justice. It is anticipated that the application process will open in early January and that the Nominating Commission will conduct interviews in early February. 

To be eligible for appointment, 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 Supreme Court Justice is currently $221,301.96. A Supreme Court Justice’s initial term of office is a provisional term of two years. Thereafter, the incumbent justice, if retained by the voters, has a term of ten years.

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, and on the court’s website at: https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/careers/judge-opportunities

Information about the Supreme Court Nominating Commission is available on the court’s website at: https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/sites/default/files/2025-12/SC_Roster.pdf

Justice Melissa Hart announces retirement from Colorado Supreme Court

DENVER—Colorado Supreme Court Justice Melissa Hart has announced her retirement from the bench, effective Jan. 5, 2026. After a temporary leave of absence, Justice Hart submitted her retirement notice to Chief Justice Monica Márquez today, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. She will remain on leave through her retirement. In a statement about her decision, Justice Hart said she plans to focus on “access to civil justice for low and middle-income Coloradans and making the family law system work for unrepresented litigants.”

“I remain deeply committed to the work that is central to Colorado’s Judicial Branch - preserving the rule of law and serving the public,” said Justice Melissa Hart in her letter to the Chief Justice. “Colorado, like every other state in the country, is struggling to serve the public in these areas [of access to justice and family law systems]. I joined the bench because I felt called to address these issues, and I plan to continue this work after retirement.”

To ensure the Court’s work continues without interruption, all cases are being handled in accordance with established procedures to provide timely and fair resolutions. Consistent with court rules, adjustments will be made to the case-assignment process to ensure a smooth transition.

“Justice Hart has devoted the past eight years to serving both the judiciary and the people of Colorado,” said Chief Justice Monica M. Márquez. “Her unwavering commitment, energy, and efforts to expand access to justice have significantly benefited our state. Justice Hart’s absence will be deeply felt throughout the branch. Her legal expertise, steadfast dedication to the rule of law, and significant work on numerous committees will leave a lasting legacy.”

Justice Hart was appointed to the Colorado Supreme Court on Dec. 14, 2017, by Governor John Hickenlooper. During her tenure on the bench, she served as the court’s liaison to the Colorado Access to Justice Commission, the Pathways to Access Standing Committee, the Standing Committee on Family Issues, the Ralph Carr Judicial Learning Center, and as the co-Chair of the Judicial Department’s Workplace Culture Initiative Steering Committee. Justice Hart served as the Chair-Elect of the Council of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admission to the Bar and as an Adviser to the American Law Institute’s Principles of the Law, High-Volume Civil Adjudication project.

While serving on the Court, Justice Hart was an adjunct professor at both the University of Colorado Law School and the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Prior to joining the Court, Justice Hart was a professor at the University of Colorado Law School, where she directed the Byron R. White Center for the Study of American Constitutional Law. Throughout her years as a professor, Justice Hart maintained an active pro bono practice, writing amicus briefs in appellate courts and representing clients through Metro Volunteer Lawyers in family law cases. Her teaching and scholarship focused on access to justice, constitutional law, judicial decision-making, legal ethics, employment discrimination, and civil procedure.

When a judicial officer position becomes vacant, the vacancy is announced publicly, the application process is initiated, and details about the nomination commission are provided.

The court will issue this information in a forthcoming, separate announcement in accordance with the procedures for judicial vacancies.

The Supreme Court thanks Justice Melissa Hart for her tenure on the Court and dedication to the rule of law.

4th Judicial District announces County Court Vacancy

Commission sets date to select nominees

The 4th Judicial District Nominating Commission will meet on Feb 2, 2026, at the Teller County Courthouse, 101 W. Bennett Avenue, Cripple Creek, CO 80813, to interview and select nominees for appointment by the governor to the office of county judge for the 4th Judicial District (Teller County). The vacancy will occur due to the retirement of the Honorable Theresa L. Kilgore, effective March 1, 2026.

To be eligible, the applicant must be a qualified elector of Teller County at the time of investiture and have graduated high school or attained the equivalent of a high school education as indicated by the Department of Education, based upon the record made on the General Education Development test. The annual salary for this position is $185,251.19, and it is a 95 percent position. 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 Brian Boatright, 2 E. 14^th Ave., Denver, CO 80203, and the office of the Court Executive, Scott Sosebee, 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 no later than 4:00 p.m. on Jan. 12, 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 Jan. 5, 2026, by 4:00 p.m.

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

Michael Allen of Monument; Paul Hurcomb, Roland Rainey, and Misty Plowright, all of Colorado Springs.

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

• Paul Hurcomb, pwh@sparkswillson.com
• Roland Rainey, rojune28@yahoo.com
•  Misty Plowright, misty.plowright@gmail.com
• Michael Allen, mtallen@mikemoranlaw.com

JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION

APPLICATION FOR COLORADO STATE COURT JUDGESHIP

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

Instructions

1.   The application form for a Colorado state court judgeship can be found on the Judicial Branch website at https://www.courts.state.co.us/Careers/Judge.cfm

Please be complete and thorough in answering the questions. If an answer to any question requires more space than provided, attach a separate page for the question(s). Do not change the margins or font size on the application.

2.   Your application materials should be prepared in the following manner:

The application and any attachments must be submitted as a single PDF file with reference letters attached last. The application should be in text searchable format. 

You may submit letters of reference from not less than three and no more than five individuals who are able to comment upon your qualifications for a judicial position. 

It is preferred that reference letters are included with your application submission. However, if they are submitted directly by the author, they must be submitted by email as described below in paragraph 3.  All letters of reference are due by the filing deadline listed in paragraph 4. 

3.   Your application materials compiled as outlined above should be sent via email with your name and 4th JD Teller County Court in the subject line with your materials attached as outlined above no later than 4 p.m. on January 12, 2026 to the following email address:

judicial.applicants@judicial.state.co.us

You should receive an automatic response to your email submission. If you do not, please call the supreme court at the telephone number listed below. Please add this email address to your contacts so that email does not get filtered into your spam.

4.   Your application must be received no later than: 4 p.m. on January 12, 2026.

5.   Call the Colorado Supreme Court Clerk’s office with questions: 720-625-5150.

Colorado Courts Announce Closures for Christmas and New Year's 2025

DENVER— All Colorado state courts and probation offices will be closed on Thursday, Dec. 25, for Christmas and Thursday, Jan. 1, for New Year's Day.

In addition, the following Colorado state courts and probation offices will be closed on Wednesday, Dec. 24, Friday, Dec. 26, and Wednesday, Dec. 31. Courts and probation offices will be closed all day, unless otherwise noted.

Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, Closures:

7th Judicial District (Montrose County) Courts and Probation Office

8th Judicial District (Jackson and Larimer counties) Combined Courts and Probation Offices will close at noon.

13th Judicial District (Kit Carson, Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Sedgwick, Washington and Yuma counties) Combined Courts and Probation Offices will close at noon.

15th Judicial District (Baca, Cheyenne, Kiowa and Prowers counties) Courts and Probation Offices will close at 2 p.m.

23rd Judicial District (Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties) Courts and Probation Offices will close at noon.

Friday, Dec. 26, 2025, Closures:

2nd Judicial District Denver Probate Office

3rd Judicial District (Huerfano and Las Animas counties) Courts and Probation Offices

6th Judicial District (Archuleta, La Plata, and San Juan counties) Courts and Probation Offices

7th Judicial District (Delta, Ouray, San Miguel and Gunnison counties) Courts and Probation Offices

11th Judicial District (Chaffee, Custer, Fremont and Park counties) Combined Courts and Probation Offices

12th Judicial District (Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Mineral, Rio Grande, and Saguache counties) Combined Courts and Probation Offices

13th Judicial District (Kit Carson, Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Sedgwick, Washington and Yuma counties) Combined Courts and Probation Offices will close at noon.

15th Judicial District (Baca, Cheyenne, Kiowa and Prowers counties) Courts and Probation Offices

19th Judicial District (Weld County) Courts and Probation Offices. Bond hearings will be held at 9 a.m. at Weld County Jail.

20th Judicial District (Boulder County) Combined Courts and Probation. Bond hearings will be held at 1:30 p.m. at Boulder County Jail.

22nd Judicial District (Dolores and Montezuma counties) Combined Courts and Probation Offices

Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, Closures:

8th Judicial District (Jackson and Larimer counties) Combined Courts and Probation Offices will close at noon.

Introducing Virtual Your Honor: Journey to the Bench Sessions

DENVER - The Judicial Officer Outreach (JOO) Program is excited to launch a new virtual series inspired by this spring’s 2025 Your Honor: Journey to the Bench symposium. Building on the symposium’s mission to encourage attorneys and aspiring judicial officers to pursue the bench, the virtual Your Honor: Journey to the Bench sessions bring the same insightful conversations, practical tools, and inspiration directly to participants across the state.

Rooted in perspectives gathered during JOO’s statewide listening tours, these weekly one-hour sessions are designed to illuminate the judicial pathway, providing practical tools, candid conversations, and real experiences from those who currently serve on the bench. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the judiciary and the realities of judicial service, all while expanding their professional networks.

“Through these programs, we hope to eliminate the mystery and anxiety that, to many, inhere in the path to the bench, thereby ensuring that those talented and highly qualified attorneys who aspire to become judges will feel ready and comfortable to apply and to take the bench when the opportunity arises,” said Colorado Supreme Court Justice Richard Gabriel, who also serves as advisor for JOO.

Please note: These virtual sessions are offered explicitly for attorneys and aspiring judges who are ready to apply to be a judge within one to three years.

Sessions will be available each Wednesday from Jan 7, 2026, through Feb 18, 2026, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Below are the dates and sessions available:

January 7 – Behind the Robe: A Day in the Life of a Judge

January 14 – Building Bridges: Establishing Connections for Judicial Success

January 21 – Silencing Self-Doubt: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

January 28 – Beyond Your Specialty: Learning New Areas of the Law

February 4 – Ethics in Action: Upholding Integrity on the Bench

February 11 – The Judicial Family: Balancing Work and Life as a Judge

February 18 – Beyond Your Specialty: Learning New Areas of the Law

To register for a session, visit: https://shorturl.at/wXQhY.

For questions about the Your Honor: Journey to the Bench sessions or questions about JOO, please contact Nga Vương-Sandoval, judicial officer outreach program lead at nga.vuongsandoval@judicial.state.co.us.

About the Judicial Officer Outreach Program

Through its educational and outreach efforts, the Judicial Officer Outreach Program seeks to further the mission of the Colorado Judicial Department to provide the community with a fair and impartial system of justice by ensuring that our courts reflect the communities we serve.

This program was established by Colorado SB 19-043 to provide outreach regarding judicial office vacancies and to create and deliver educational programming about the judicial application process. This is the first program of its kind both in Colorado and in the nation. 

Leadership Transition for the Colorado Court of Appeals Begins

DENVER— Chief Justice Monica Márquez announced today a key leadership transition, appointing Court of Appeals Judge Ted Tow as the chief judge-designate of the Colorado Court of Appeals, as Chief Judge Gilbert Román prepares for the end of his term as chief on July 31, 2026. During this time, Judge Tow will go through an onboarding process, working directly with Chief Judge Román. 

"Chief Judge Román’s leadership as chief of the Colorado Court of Appeals has been marked by his integrity, intelligence, and commitment to justice. On behalf of the entire Colorado Supreme Court, I thank Chief Román for his years of exemplary leadership as chief,” said Chief Justice Monica M. Marquez. “As we welcome Judge Ted Tow as the new Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals, I am confident that his dedication, experience, commitment to judicial excellence, and his deep understanding of the law will serve the Court and our state well in the years ahead." 

“Serving as Chief Judge of the Colorado Court of Appeals has been the greatest honor of my professional career,” said Chief Judge Gilbert Román. “I am deeply grateful to former Chief Justice Boatright for entrusting me with this responsibility and to Chief Justice Márquez for her leadership and partnership this past year. Like all chief judges, my hope is that my colleagues and staff feel I have left the court in a strong position. I am confident the court is well-positioned for the future under Judge Tow’s capable leadership.” 

“I am grateful for Chief Justice Márquez’s trust and confidence,” said Judge Tow. “It is a privilege to be given the responsibility of leading the amazing team at the court of appeals, and I look forward to continuing the work of my tremendous predecessors in advancing the goals of access to justice and the rule of law.” 

Judge Ted C. Tow was appointed to the Colorado Court of Appeals on Feb.13, 2018. Before joining the Court, he served for seven years as a District Judge in the 17th Judicial District (Adams County). Before his judicial service, Judge Tow was the Executive Director of the Colorado District Attorneys’ Council, following several years as a deputy district attorney. He began his legal career in private practice, working primarily in labor and employment law with the firms Dickinson, Wright, Moon, Van Dusen & Freeman and Matkov, Salzman, Madoff & Gunn in Chicago, and later with Sherman & Howard in Denver. Judge Tow earned his B.A. in English Literature and Comparative Constitutional History with Distinction and College Honors from the University of Kansas, and his J.D., summa cum laude, from Wayne State University Law School. He is an active member of the Colorado Bar Association, where he has served in numerous leadership roles, including on the Board of Governors and Executive Council, and currently serves as a Trustee of the Colorado Bar Foundation. He is also a member of the Adams/Broomfield Bar Association and the Law Club and previously chaired the Colorado Judicial Discipline Commission. A graduate and former co-lead of the Colorado Institute for Faculty Excellence in Judicial Education (COIFE), Judge Tow frequently presents continuing legal education programs for the Judicial Branch and the Colorado Bar Association on topics including inclusive courtroom practices, family law, civil procedure, and legal and judicial ethics.