Colorado Notes

| November 15, 2016

In 1996, the Colorado Supreme Court established its Committee on

In 1996, the Colorado Supreme Court established its Committee on the Effective and Efficient Use of Juries using Arizona and California as its models. Based on the Committee’s recommendations, the legislature eliminated occupation as a lawyer as ground for challenge for cause in a criminal trial and developed a procedure for insuring exemption from the jury pool after service. The Supreme Court also implemented various comprehension reforms through rule changes, judicial training, and court order. These include permitting juror notebooks, allowing use of deposition summaries, instructing jurors that note taking is permitted, and experimenting with pre-deliberative discussions through a pilot program. Although the Committee developed legislation for sanctioning those who do not respond to juror summonses, it does not appear that the legislature enacted this proposal.