An emotional Colorado Chief Justice Brian Boatright addressed the legislature and the people of Colorado on Thursday.
The judicial branch has been battered by allegations ranging from discrimination to sexual assault and coverups, and now massive cracks in the ivory tower of the judicial branch threaten to crumble its reputation and Coloradans’ faith in the institution.
Finding a path forward falls to the new chief justice installed only a few weeks ago.
Before Boatright donned the robes of our state’s top court in 2011, he helped lead the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program for children in Jefferson County. An overriding principle for CASA is to help bring families broken by terrible circumstances back together.
The patience and skills he developed working with CASA should benefit him greatly as he deals with the firestorm engulfing the judicial branch today.
He did not shy away from the misconduct allegations or their ramifications. Instead, he took responsibility. Acknowledging the problem exists and must be dealt with is the critical first step, whether for a family member hoping to reunite with their children or a judiciary wanting to regain the trust of the people.
Of course, first steps are always hard.
