The Colorado Supreme Court will consider whether municipal courts can punish defendants with jail sentences that far outpace state courts’ limits in a case that could force cities to align with recent state-level criminal justice reforms. The justices made the unusual move Thursday, agreeing to examine whether the significant differences in potential sentences in state courts and city courts for the same crimes violate defendants’ constitutional rights. The state Supreme Court agreed to take the case less than a month after The Denver Post reported that municipal courts — designed as the lowest-level courts for the lowest-level crimes — have become the state’s most punitive forum for minor infractions. Sweeping state-level reforms in 2021 significantly lowered the potential penalties for misdemeanor and petty offenses in Colorado’s state courts, but those reforms didn’t impact municipal courts, which don’t fall under the state judicial system and operate independently from one another.
Similar Stories to Can Municipal Courts Jail People Longer For Minor Crimes Than State Courts? Colorado Supreme Court Will Decide on Bing News
Sam Tabachnik, Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post
Fri, 10/18/2024 - 11:58am
Topics: the denver post sweeping july aleah camp westminster municipal court police westminster s that general assembly s the post supreme court s nov cities colorado constitution related articles how colorado s how pueblo they re grand junction s pueblo the colorado supreme court sign supreme court colorado s colorado supreme court westminster camp s courts pueblo rifle jail longer minor crimes case city attorneys sentences sentencing potential reforms local issue concern argue charged times fine statewide defendants justices punitive misdemeanor filed order wrote state-level protection limits align disparate forum lowest-level justice thursday bill equal days contempt faces punishments legislators unconstitutional uniformity faced addressing time overriding municipalities racial ordinances
BING NEWS:
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The case now going before the state Supreme Court centers on the conviction of a Westminster woman who stole less than $300 worth of goods in July 2022.
10/18/2024 - 8:03 am | View Link - Amendment I: Should Colorado judges be able to deny bail to people charged with first-degree murder?
Colorado voters will decide Nov. 5 whether judges should be allowed to deny bail to people charged with first-degree murder, forcing them to remain in jail while they await trial. Here’s what you ...
10/15/2024 - 2:03 pm | View Link - Proposition 128: Longer minimum prison time for violent crimes, explained
Under Prop. 128, people convicted of certain offenses would have to serve at least 85 percent of their sentence before becoming eligible for parole.
10/12/2024 - 11:04 pm | View Link - ACLU accuses Pueblo Municipal Court of illegally jailing people for missed court dates
The ACLU alleges Pueblo's municipal court orchestrated an "illegal contempt scheme" in its use of contempt of court charges. Here's what to know.
10/10/2024 - 12:34 am | View Link - Proposition 128: People convicted of some violent felonies in Colorado would be imprisoned longer
Colorado voters will ... million per year due to the longer prison sentences people convicted of violent crimes would have to serve. The estimate is based on the current costs and average length of ...
10/8/2024 - 10:48 am | View Link - More
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