Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Monica Márquez urged lawmakers to allocate funds for the addition of 29 new judgeships across the state in the next two years.

In her annual address to the Colorado legislature, Márquez highlighted the heavy workloads and burnout experienced by current judges as the primary reasons for the request. She emphasized the importance of passing a newly proposed bill, SB25-024, which aims to increase the number of judges in the state by 2026.

Márquez expressed concern over judges working long hours without breaks, leading to unsustainable conditions. She emphasized the need to address this issue to ensure that judges can effectively carry out their responsibilities without compromising their well-being.

The bill, introduced by Democratic Sen. Dylan Roberts and Republican Sen. Lisa Frizell, seeks to add 10 new district court judges and eight county court judges by July 1, with additional positions to be filled by 2026. The cost of implementing these new judgeships has not been specified, but the advertised salary for a Denver District Court judge is $198,798.

In addition to addressing the need for more judges, Márquez also mentioned efforts to improve the internal culture of the judiciary following past scandals and concerns about misconduct.

Overall, the Chief Justice’s address underscored the importance of adequately staffing the judiciary to maintain a fair and efficient legal system in Colorado.

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