Colorado judicial branch asks for public comment on proposed virtual court directives
Colorado’s judicial branch proposed two new chief justice directives on virtual court proceedings and asked the public to comment on them by mid-March.
COVID-19
Legislation or a new judicial branch policy could make livestreaming of court proceedings more commonplace in Colorado
Nearly three years after the COVID-19 pandemic forced Colorado courts to fundamentally change how they operate, the judicial branch is developing a policy that could make the livestreaming of court proceedings more commonplace and uniform statewide. Meanwhile, a state legislator said she will introduce a bill to make remote viewing of criminal courts the “default” in Colorado.
House committee passes bill to create free website for Colorado high-court opinions
With civil court records now free to access online in Colorado, the state may soon also post the text of high-court opinions — going back to statehood — in a searchable format and at no cost to the public.
CFOIC’s 2021 year in review: sole finalists, internal affairs records, body-cam footage, peace officer database, disinformation, a judge’s order to ‘be kind’
Court rulings top CFOIC’s 2021 list of Colorado transparency highlights and lowlights, with the most impactful paving the way for a state law change that lets governments publicly name just one finalist for chief executive positions like university president, city manager and school superintendent.
The Colorado Supreme Court law library is open again, but you can still get civil court records on your laptop at no charge
Free online access to civil court records — a positive outgrowth of the COVID-19 pandemic — will continue, even though the Colorado Supreme Court law library in downtown Denver has reopened to the public.
Wrap-up: Sole finalist, police transparency bills mark 2021 Colorado legislative session
The 2021 Colorado legislative session produced a mixed bag of good and not-so-good developments for those concerned about government transparency.
House bill validates virtual meetings for special district boards in Colorado
Like most other government bodies, special district boards in Colorado have met over Zoom or some other video-conferencing platform during much of the COVID-19 pandemic. But they’ve done so, state lawmakers were told, not knowing for sure whether state law permitted their virtual meetings.
Groups urge greater transparency, public access at legislature
On Jan. 15, Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition, Colorado Capitol Press Association, Colorado Press Association, Colorado Broadcasters Association, Colorado News Collaborative, Society of Professional Journalists…
CFOIC, journalist groups urge Colorado Judicial Branch to retain free, online access to civil court records
Free remote access to civil court records for all Coloradans has been a rare positive outgrowth of the COVID-19 pandemic, and we applaud the Colorado Judicial Branch for taking that important step.
CFOIC’s 2020 year in review: coronavirus records, CORA costs, body cam footage, judicial secrecy
COVID-19 touched nearly every aspect of our lives in 2020 so of course it affected government transparency and public access to courts in Colorado.