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Former Senate President John Andrews said his issue committee, Limit the Power, has had volunteers carrying petitions since January -- but will fall short at the May 14 deadline because there was insufficient funding to supplement the volunteer effort with paid signature-gatherers.

The proposal would have limited all state judges to three four-year terms, something no other state has done. It was a modification of a similar ballot issue in 2006, Amendment 40, which lost with 43% of the vote.

Andrews said his group will now work on helping pass the ballot issues for right to work and public payroll standards, and on defeating the Ritter severance tax increase and the Romanoff anti-TABOR proposal.

"Court reform will have to wait for another year," he said. "Our focus this year will be on curbing the undue power of labor unions, trial lawyers, and the spending lobby here in Colorado."

From the Governor's Office

Gov. Bill Ritter today appointed three new judges to the Colorado Court of Appeals: Sean Connelly of Centennial and Richard Lance Gabriel and David Jay Richman of Denver.

Connelly is currently a partner at Reilly, Pozner & Connelly, where he has been a civil and criminal litigator since 1994. He previously worked in private practice from 1984 to 1990, and as a judicial law clerk to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit from 1983 to 1984. He is involved in numerous community organizations and has received many awards, including Individual of the Year from the Colorado Lawyers Committee in 2007 and the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service in 1998. He received his bachelor’s degree from Fairfield University in 1980 and his law degree from Catholic University Law School in 1983.

Gabriel has been a partner at Holme Roberts & Owen since 1994 and was an associate at the firm from 1990-1994. His practice includes intellectual property and complex and commercial litigation. He previously has worked for Shea & Gould (1988-90) and as a law clerk for the Hon. Frederick Motz of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland (1987-1988). He also has served as city prosecutor for the city of Lafayette. He is involved in many community and legal organizations. He received his bachelor’s degree from Yale University in 1984 and his law degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Law in 1987.

Richman is currently a career law clerk with the U.S. District Court in Colorado, a position he has held since 2003. He most recently served the Hon. Phillip S. Figa. Prior to joining the court, he was in private practice, specializing in civil commercial litigation and arbitration and criminal defense. He is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Congregation Hebrew Educational Alliance and cooperating attorney for the ACLU of Colorado. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan in 1972 and his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1975.

All three appointments take effect July 1. The positions were created pursuant to House Bill 07-1054. The appointments are for a provisional term of two years, and then until the second Tuesday in January following the next general election. Thereafter, if retained by the voters, the term is for eight years. The current salary is $124,092.

Senator Brandon Shaffer (D-Senate District 17) will be the keynote speaker at the Colorado Judicial Institute Annual Meeting to be held on May 8th from 11:30am to 1:30pm at the Brown Palace Hotel.

Senator Shaffer, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, will discuss proposed legislation on the judicial performance evaluation process (SB08-54), judicial salaries and a new judicial office complex. CJI worked with Senator Shaffer and Representative Terrance Carroll (D-House District 7) to develop legislation that would provide for improvements in the judicial performance evaluation process including: expanding the number of individuals who may offer evaluation information, providing more easily accessible information for citizens to make informed decisions during judicial retention elections, and creating an independent office for the judicial evaluation commission.

Senator Shaffer was first elected to the Colorado Senate in November 2006. He is a Colorado native having grown up in Denver and graduated from East High School. Senator Shaffer holds a degree from Stanford University in political science, has served four years in the U.S. Navy, and received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Colorado Law School in 2001. He lives in Longmont with wife Jessicca, son Dylan, and daughter Madison. For more information about the Colorado Judicial Institute or to make reservations for the Annual Meeting luncheon, visit www.coloradojudicialinstitue.org or call 303-766-7501.

Gov. Bill Ritter today appointed two new judges to the District Court bench and one judge to the County Court bench in the 17th Judicial District. The 17th Judicial District serves Adams and Broomfield counties.

The District Court appointees are Patrick T. Murphy of Broomfield and Jill-Elyn Straus of Thornton, and the Adams County Court appointee is Byron Lynn Howell of Brighton.

Murphy is currently in private practice with Purvis, Gray and Murphy, a position he has held since 2004. Prior to starting this firm, he was in private practice from 1986 to 2003. From 1981 to 1986 he was an assistant

United States

attorney. He also has served in the Weld County and Boulder County District Attorney Offices. He received his bachelor’s degree in 1972 and his law degree in 1975, both from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Straus is currently a prosecutor in the District Attorney’s Office in the 17th Judicial District, a position she has held since 1983. She is a chief trial deputy and specializes in cases with juvenile victims. She previously has worked for a continuing legal education firm. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois in 1978 and her law degree from the University of Denver in 1982.

Howell is currently a deputy city and county attorney in Broomfield, a position he has held since 2001. He has previously served as an assistant Washington County attorney, an assistant Morgan County attorney and the supervisor of the Pre-Trial Services Unit in San Diego Superior Court. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Colorado in 1978, his J.D. from the University of Wyoming in 1994 and his M.P.A. from San Diego State University in 2003.

Nine proposed ballot issues were filed this week by individuals aligned with trial lawyers in the state in apparent retaliation for a proposed amendment that would severely limit contingency fee compensation for lawyers in civil lawsuits.

The new proposed ballot measures target doctors, real estate brokers, corporate executives and homebuilders.

Lawyers should strive to make sure the legal process is fair for people who enter the system, Gov. Bill Ritter said Friday.

“We look at how we treat people and ask the question — are we treating them fairly, are we treating them well,” Ritter said Friday at at the Larimer County Bar Association Law Day Luncheon.

Ritter served as a the district attorney of Denver for more than 10 years and received his law degree from from the University of Colorado.

During his speech, Ritter emphasized that the legal system is built to be equitable and achieve justice.

Marlene Bizub's lawsuit alleged that Colorado Springs psychologist Elizabeth Paterson spread falsehoods about her in letters to judges, lawyers, schools and Bizub's employers.

Paterson's attorney says she may appeal. The attorney says Paterson would not comment.

Bizub has worked as an advocate in the court system for children whose parents are divorcing. Her lawsuit alleged Paterson's statements about her made it tough for her to find work.

Wynne Sewell LLP, one of the Southwest’s largest full-service law firms, announces its professional affiliation with former Texas Secretary of State, Commissioner of Insurance and legislator Elton Bomer. Bomer will assist Gardere by providing lobbying services to its clients and will office at Gardere’s Congress Avenue location beginning November 1, 2004. An established and respected governmental consultant and lobbyist, Bomer was appointed Texas Secretary of State by then-Governor George W. Bush in 1999. He had previously been appointed by Bush to serve as Texas Commissioner of Insurance from 1995-99. Bomer also served in the Texas House of Representatives from 1981-85 and 1991-95. Most recently he has focused on lobbying efforts before the Texas Legislature for clients in the insurance, health care and technology industries

Two-man decorating company Kari Kronborg Painting & Wallpaper claims it is owed £5,500 after it worked for six weeks putting up wallpaper in 13 rooms of Mr Caudwell's home in Vail, Colorado.

The work was highly praised by interior designer, Mr Caudwell's daughter Rebekah.

However, the company said due to unforeseen extra work, it was forced to increase the bill from its $25,000 (£12,500) estimation to $36,000 (£18,000). It has not been paid the $11,000 difference.