State's appeals courts to move to new Judicial Center this month

Colorado's appellate judges will move to the new Ralph L. Carr Judicial Center this month.

The new state courts complex, which is located across Lincoln Avenue from the state capitol, is a quarter-billion dollar undertaking that will have been more than half of a decade in the making when the shift happens.

No days of business will be lost in the move. Both courts will close for business at their current locations on West Colfax Avenue in Denver on Friday, Dec. 14 and re-open at the new facility at 2 East 14th Avenue in Denver on Monday morning, Dec. 17.

State court administrators and the state law library are also moving to the new building.

Three Named to Court of Appeals

Gov. Bill Ritter named three new judges to the state court of appeals Thursday, filling slots created when the General Assembly expanded the size of that court in legislation passed in 2007.

Named to the bench were:

1. Sean Connelly

Connelly is a partner at Reilly, Pozner & Connelly (1994-present) and previously worked in private practice (1984-90) and as a judicial law clerk to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (1983-84). Connelly received his bachelor’s degree from Fairfield University in 1980 and his law degree from Catholic University Law School in 1983.

2. Richard Lance Gabriel

Gabriel is a partner at Holme Roberts & Owen. He has been with that firm since 1990. He previously worked for Shea & Gould (1988-90) and as a law clerk for the federal judge Frederick Motz of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland (1987-1988). Gabriel also served as prosecutor for the city of Lafayette. 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.

3. David Jay Richman

Richman serves as career law clerk at the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado (2003-present). Prior to joining the court, he was in private practice, specializing in civil commercial litigation and arbitration and criminal defense. Richman 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 and are for a provisional term of two years. The new judges would have to stand election in 2010 to retain their seats for an additional eight years beyond the expiration of the provisional term.

The seats on the court filled by Connelly, Gabriel and Richman were created by HB 07-1054.