Civil Jurisdiction in Colorado's Muncipal Courts: All of Colorado's Courts Are the People's Courts - August 2007 - Just Wondering (right Column)

• Publication year: 2007
• Pages: 109

36 Colo.Law. 109 Colorado Lawyer 2007.

2007, August, Pg. 109. Civil Jurisdiction in Colorado's Muncipal Courts: All of Colorado's Courts Are the People's Courts - August 2007 - Just Wondering (Right Column)

The Colorado Lawyer
August 2007
Vol. 36, No. 8 [Page 109]

Departments
Just Wondering (Right Column)
Civil Jurisdiction in Colorado's Muncipal Courts All of Colorado's Courts Are the "People's Courts"
by Brad D. Bailey

Just Wondering is published in a point/counterpoint format to provide an open forum for the expression of ideas The articles address issues that are substantially related to the law, the practice of law, or to lawyers - not matters of general interest. Any CBA member wishing to submit a point/counterpoint article should work with another CBA member to provide a companion article that argues for a significantly different conclusion.

For further information and writing guidelines, or to discuss topics in advance or get help finding someone to write an opposing viewpoint, contact Just Wondering Coordinating Editor Fred Burtzos at fred.burtzos.gdz0@statefarm.com.

About the Author:

Brad D. Bailey is Assistant City Attorney for the City of Littleton. He also is coordinating editor of Government and Administrative Law articles in The Colorado Lawyer - (303) 795-3725, bbailey@littletongov.org.

Judge Rodgers has properly identified the problem in Colorado's courts. Overcrowded dockets have lead many attorneys to seek alternative dispute resolution to speed cases to conclusion. Indeed, many retired judges are making a comfortable living with the added benefit of an improved quality of life by providing this service. The pages of this journal contain advertisements for those services

The Colorado Supreme Court has endorsed several methods to try to get a handle on the increasing caseload of their fellows on the trial court Benches. Most have been abandoned after their initial trial periods as impractical to implement system-wide. Remember the "Rocket Docket" experiments of the Honorable William F. Dressel(fn1) and a handful of other district court judges in the 1980s? How about mandatory arbitration in several pilot judicial districts in the latter part of that same decade? Even now the Arapahoe County District Court mandates mediation in domestic relations cases and encourages attorneys to explore alternative methods of resolution before calendaring many cases for trial. Here,...