Last month’s Colorado Supreme Court ruling that created a “right” for plaintiffs (more accurately, their lawyers) to collect “recovered damages” over and above costs actually paid was apparently the straw that broke the camel’s back for a group that rates the performance of courts nationwide (as if the Mullarkey-Bender Court’s rulings to sanction unconstitutional tax increases by way of eliminating tax exemptions and credits or by re-defining taxes as “fees”, erosion of property rights, and usurpation of legislative authority wasn’t enough), adding Colorado to the list of jurisdictions nationally qualifying as a “judicial hellhole.”

The American Tort Reform Association’s annual “Judicial Hellholes” report for 2010 lists Colorado as one of only three state supreme courts nationwide to qualify for the “honor” (Colorado joins Michigan and perennial favorite West Virginia in being so recognized).

“Traditionally, Judicial Hellholes have been considered places where civil judges systematically apply laws and court procedures in an unfair and unbalanced manner, generally against defendants in civil lawsuits,” explains ATRA general counsel Victor Schwartz.  “The jurisdictions we name as Judicial Hellholes each year are not the only unfair courts in the nation, but they are among the most unfair, based on our survey of litigants and considerable independent research.”

Congratulations, Colorado - the legal-establishment special-interest groups that spent so much time and money this Fall (violating campaign finance laws in the process) telling you that our state’s judicial system is “nationally recognized” were right (in that statement) after all.

For those of us who would like to see Colorado’s judiciary reformed and recognized for upholding the Constitution and individual rights, we would appreciate your continued support - comments (Sound Off!) and contributions are still needed. Freedom isn’t free -nor is it always easy to be a Citizen, not a subject.

Ultimately, though - it’s worth the effort.

Tags: Alex Martinez, American Tort Reform Association, Chief Justice Mullarkey, Colorado Bar Association, Colorado Constitution, Colorado Courts, Colorado Judges, Colorado Judicial Institute, Colorado Politics, Colorado redistricting, Colorado Supreme Court, Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System, judical activism, judicial accountability, judicial evaluation, Judicial Hellhole, judicial performance, Judicial Performance Review, judicial retention, judicial usurpation, Know Your Judge, League of Women Voters, Mary Mullarkey, Michael Bender, Mill Levy Tax Colorado, Mill Levy Tax Freeze, Mullarkey Court, Mullarkey Majority, Nancy Rice, TABOR, Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, Telluride Land Grab, unjust justices