2005 Judicial Excellence for Colorado Dinner

Judge Cindy Bruner - County Court Award Honoree, Mag. Stephen Schapanski - Magistrate Award Honoree, Judge John Coughlin (ret.) - Judicial Independence Award Honoree, and Judge Thomas Curry - District Court Honoree.

Colorado Judicial Institute Honors Outstanding Judges and Raises Funds In Support of Judicial Education

Third Annual Judicial Excellence for Colorado Dinner draws legal and business professionals

The Colorado Judicial Institute, a non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring excellence in and educating the public about the Colorado judicial system, held its Third Annual Judicial Excellence for Colorado Dinner on Wednesday, November 2, 2005 at the Marriott City Center in Denver.  More than 360 distinguished attorneys, judges and community members saw Judicial Excellence Awards presented to District Court Judge Thomas Curry of the 18th Judicial District, County Court Judge Cindy Bruner of the Adams County Court and Magistrate Stephen Schapanski of the 8^th Judicial District - Larimer County.  A special Judicial Independence Award was given to Judge John Coughlin who professionally and courageously withstood an impeachment threat due to a decision that was unpopular with outspoken members of the Colorado legislature and other community organziaitons.

The Keynote Speaker was attorney, Karen Mathis, the first Coloradan to become President-Elect of the American Bar Association, the world’s largest voluntary professional organization with 407,000 members.  Mathis is a partner in the Denver office of McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, LLP, and concentrates on business, commercial and estate planning law.  Mathis has been active in the ABA for thirty years, is a member of the Women’s Forum of Colorado, was recently named a Woman of Distinction by the Girl Scouts Mile High Council, has served on the Colorado Governor’s Council on Business and Child Care and has been active in many Denver community organizations.  She is a cum laude graduate of the University of Denver, the University of Colorado Law School and holds two honorary degrees.

Dr. Ellie Greenberg, CJI Vice Chair and higher education consultant, introduced Mathis, calling her “a local girl that has made good” and commending her for her focus on service as an important professional value.  Greenberg also referred to Mathis’ “passion for the law” and spoke about how she has developed her leadership skills.

Mathis has chosen “Youth at Risk” as one of her ABA Presidential priorities and this was the topic of her Keynote Speech.  “Quite simply” she said, “the youth of our nation are in peril, and this growing crisis translates into significant harm to our country, our institutions and our future.”  She went on to describe a long-term, twelve point approach that the ABA will take to address many of the issues that are causing our youth to be at risk: increases in truancy leading to more drop-outs and homeless teenagers, the “18 and you’re out” syndrome which cuts youth out of foster care and social services, and the increase in girls and young women being involved with violent acts and delinquency.  Mathis challenged the mostly law-related audience to “pay it forward” and become involved in solving the increasing number of ”youth at risk” issues.

Gale Miller, CJI Vice chair and attorney with Davis, Graham & Stubbs LLP, was Master of Ceremonies.  Connie Talmage of the Colorado Lawyers Committee chaired the Dinner Events Committee.  Richard Gabriel, partner at Holme Roberts & Owen LLP, is the Chair of the Colorado Judicial Institute Board of Directors.  

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