Colorado
Colorado’s highest court is the Colorado Supreme Court. The court has six associate justices and one chief justice, who is selected by majority vote of the supreme court justices. (Source: Colorado Supreme Court; Colorado Constitution)
Judicial Selection
The governor appoints Colorado Supreme Court justices from a list provided by a judicial nominating commission. After at least two years on the court, the justice stands in an unopposed yes/no retention vote in Colorado’s next general election. Justices serve 10-year terms and can stand for additional terms through retention elections. The governor fills interim vacancies from a list provided by the judicial nominating commission. The mandatory retirement age is 72.
State Constitution
Colorado’s first and only constitution was adopted in 1876. As of January 1, 2024, it had 169 amendments. (Source: John Dinan, 2024)
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How Courts Oversee Ballot Initiatives
State courts — and to some degree federal courts — play a significant role in every stage of the direct democracy process.
Legislative Efforts to Abolish Qualified Immunity Yield Mixed Results
Colorado and New Mexico have enacted laws to hold police and other officials accountable for state constitutional violations, while other states have broadened immunities.
New Findings Highlight Lack of Diversity on State Supreme Courts
More data and further scholarship is needed to devise policies for promoting a state bench that adequately represents the varied background of the public.
Scholarship Roundup: End of Semester Edition
Recent articles address states taking policy questions away from courts, standing in election cases, and state shadow dockets.
All Law Students Should be Educated About State Constitutions
Fortunately, there is a resource that makes it easy to incorporate state constitutions into the first-year constitutional law course.
The Sorry State of Disclosure for State Supreme Court Justices
A new study reveals that disclosures by state supreme court justices are frequently hard to access and lack relevant financial information.
How State and Local Election Certification Works
The process is designed to withstand election denialism.
A Conversation About the Colorado Constitution: Success Story or Cautionary Tale?
A Colorado Supreme Court Justice, a law professor, and a State Court Report editor discussed how state constitutions impact democracy, abortion rights, and more.