Colorado Supreme Court

The Colorado Supreme Court principally handles certiorari petitions in cases decided on appeal by the Colorado Court of Appeals in appeals from courts of general jurisdiction, and from appellate decisions of courts of general jurisdiction in appeals from courts of inferior jurisdiction.

In addition, the Colorado Supreme Court has jurisdiction over direct appeals in cases where a trial court finds a law unconstitutional, in death penalty cases, in water law cases, in certain election cases, in interlocutory appeals (i.e., appeals in the middle of a case) in certain matters of exceptional importance for which an ordinary appeal is not a sufficient remedy, and in certain other cases.

The Colorado Supreme Court also has original jurisdiction over attorney discipline proceedings, over advisory questions presented by the state legislature or the state attorney general, and questions referred to it by the federal courts.

Furthermore, the Colorado Supreme Court has general supervisory and budget authority over the judicial branch, the court rule making process, and the regulation of attorneys.

The Colorado Supreme Court also makes appointments to a number of boards and commissions, which often has the effect of providing a tie breaking member in situations where the other appointees are equally divided on partisan lines.

The Justices are appointed by the Governor of Colorado to serve a term of ten years after an initial two-year term from a list of three finalist candidates nominated by a Blue Ribbon Commission established by the state constitution.

At the end of each term, Justices face a retention election at which voters can choose to retain or not retain a Justice.

If a Justice were not retained, the vacancy would be filled by the Governor at the expiration of their current term. No appellate judge has ever lost a retention election since the system was put in place in 1966.

The Justices are not elected as partisan officials, although they are initially appointed by a partisan elected official.

The Chief Justice is selected by the Justices from amongst themselves.

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