Overview

It Boils Down to This

Something is amiss with Colorado’s judicial system. We the people have little effective say about who becomes a judge or stays on the bench. Judgeship appointments by our governor bypass public input. Formal means to report irregularities are suspect. The Colorado Supreme Court and governor appoint members of the malfunctioning paper tiger agency known as the Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline – which ostensibly exists to protect the public from improper judicial conduct and ensure integrity of the judicial system.

There seems to be systemic lack of transparency, effective checks and balances, and reliable quality control surrounding haphazard appointment and management of judges – who rarely face discipline. Current conditions foster mistrust. It’s a Byzantine process long overdue for overhaul. But that’s something privileged stakeholders fiercely resist; it’s a tight club. As a result, we the people suffer.

These revelations result from fruitless quest for accountability, truth and justice after being subjected to an irritating county court process gone awry. As one wrongly-accused, prevailing in a compromised, dysfunctional court came at notable fiscal and emotional cost. I spent quite nearly $5,000 to defend from clearly frivolous, groundless and vexatious charges yet motion for compensation of attorney and court fees was casually denied; I was later advised such awards are rare. Government at first enabled my accusers then dismissed their actions yet refused to make me whole for the cost to defend from what amounted to government-sanctioned abusive harassment. On top of that, despite lack of convincing evidence to support accusations against me, the judge weighed in with unsupported advisories and telling mocking, untoward personal opinion about my character.  I had innocently believed that the hearing would be held before a logical thinker who would readily determine my accusers “facts” to be preposterous fictions. However, despite persuasive argument on my behalf, the willy-nilly judge went with biased notions. Researching official Colorado rules on judicial conduct and ethics, I concluded that his undignified commentary violated several judicial canons; indicated partiality and prejudice, was harassing, hostile, demeaning, and suggest he had been inattentive during the hearing for the way he directed me to not again engage in behaviours that put me in court to begin with despite no rational proof to support his admonishment.

We Should All Be Worried

I lodged concern about Archuleta County court Judge Justin Patrick Fay’s demeanor and behavior with the Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline and received a puzzling, cursory white-wash so re-submitted my complaint along with supporting legal citations plus a telling portion of the hearing transcript. The result, after months delay was another brief embarrassing fiction in which the acting director repeatedly misspelled the judge’s name, purposely miss-stated his comments on the record to their benefit, and then selectively narrowed scope of my complaint to fit their narrative; a deliberate yet bungled sophomoric snow-job. I tried yet again with a new director at the helm and got more of the same so took my concerns to Senator Julie Gonzales – chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Over multiple months, I got zero response to phone messages, e-mails and letters. So, I took concerns higher still; to the office of Governor Polis. There too silence was deafening; not even acknowledgement of phone messages, e-mails or letter. Lesson learned: when government infects your affairs, prepare for disappointment.

A notable back-story is continuing intrigue surrounding the Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline and revolving door of directors. Some suggest it began when one actually tried to enforce rules but ended-up in crosshairs after exposing judicial wrong-doing involving the Colorado Supreme Court that even got attention of the FBI. Consider that the Colorado Supreme Court and governor’s office select members of the Commission review body of ten that is stacked with 60% judges and attorneys; foxes appointing foxes to guard the henhouse.

The System is Broken

When originally compelled to protect my reputation, I had no inkling what would follow. The reality is disappointment; a prejudiced, amateur judge throwing darts protected by an inbred, malfunctioning system. Call it a dissatisfying encounter with the stacked deck of a government-run gossip echo chamber where the temporarily favored employ flagrant misrepresentation and distortion of fact to manipulate, conceal and harm (and get away with it) in a manner reminiscent of those empowered during the McCarthy era Congressional Red-Scare hearings. This can’t be right yet has it become the new normal? Could it be that people are numb to governmental malfeasance?

It is commonly said that government is rarely a place of excellence – what with the uninspired, clock-watching masses of low-hanging fruit that end-up there.  It can be a hiding place for those with little if any incentive to excel or tackle anything remotely out of job scope. In my view this episode has offered some of the most pitiful examples of government infiltrator rejects that eclipse any shining stars that might otherwise be found. Please continue to read site content to see what I mean.

Each of the many who have tainted this with their own off-putting, bumbling and at times somewhat hilarious ways ultimately make a case for obstruction of justice. Here are some of the agencies and public servants who in effect – via complacency, empty promises, disrespect, collusion and ignorance – are breaking the system (and public trust): Governor Jared Polis, Colorado State Senator Julie Gonzales, Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline employees Jeffrey Walsh and Anne Mangiardi, Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office, Archuleta County Judge Justin Patrick Fay, and other named and yet to be named culprits.

There are countless victims of haphazard, cookie-cutter law. Saying with a shrug that ‘It’s the best system we have’ is a lame cop-out. My government has failed me and is slighting us all. Evidence suggests the characters in this disturbing situation act with impunity; part of a complicit system that prefers to take care of its own before serving public good. Lack of follow-up evidences lack of accountability. But at what point does governmental inaction or duplicity become negligence? So what now? I vote to throw the bums out.

 

Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline

The Commission does not function as it should. Evidence suggests it conforms to systemic judicial bias.

In its current form and contrary to the name, the Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline is a front for judicial protection. However, before the current director there was one person who actually tried to enforce their supposed mission of discipline. That effort turned out poorly for then chairman Christopher S. P Gregory. An attorney, he served as the chairman/executive director of the Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline from 2022 to 2024. Originally appointed by Governor Jared Polis, in unusual departure with tradition, he was not reappointed to a second term. While the Supreme Court and governor control appointments to the 10-member commission, the executive director is independently hired by the panel. Many observers attribute that contrary action to Gregory’s dogmatic approach to enforcing discipline no matter the subject. As former director of Colorado’s judicial discipline commission, he tried to induce accountability upon the state’s highest court. After his shocking, forced departure, the commission’s special counsel, Jeff Walsh served as interim director. I had the misfortune of interacting with him; he’s a useless pair of hands. In contrast, Christopher S. P. Gregory is a hero.

In 2025, Gregory filed suit in U. S. District Court for the District of Colorado claiming Colorado justices, other officials conspired to hide misconduct. The suit named as defendants the current justices on the Colorado Supreme Court, as well as former Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Coats. Other defendants included Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and other Colorado officials.

Gregory maintains he is a whistleblower, victim of retaliation and ultimately wrongful termination stemming from his investigation of now former Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Coats for misconduct the result of a 2019 decision to award a multimillion-dollar contract to a Colorado judicial employee who was herself facing misconduct allegations. That employee had apparently compiled alleged instances of judicial misconduct that she was prepared to disclose; those in power sought to silence and mollify her with money.

Gregory’s suit was stunning; it reportedly covered 46 cases detailing 25+ years of systemic judicial corruption and hush-money cover-ups. However, the system reacted swiftly to Gregory’s suit and allegations and by August, 2026, the court firmly dismissed his action. According to reports, Gregory is planning to take his case to the United States Supreme Court. I hope he finds justice and resolution but my guess is that the system protects their own at any cost.

The Denver Gazette, January 10, 2024: Colorado judicial discipline director put on leave; ouster met with widespread shock. 

Bloomberg Law, October 24, 2025: Colorado Supreme Court Justices Accused of Concealing Bribe.

American Bar Association Journal, October 27, 2025: Former judicial ethics chief files suit claiming Colorado justices, other officials conspired to hide misconduct.

AbusiveDiscretion, August 6, 2026: Former Judicial Discipline Director’s Complaints Against Colorado Federal Judges Dismissed.

American Bar Association Journal, August 12, 2026: A federal judge dismissed a whistleblower complaint Tuesday accusing the Colorado government and judicial officials of coordinating their efforts to cover up a 2019 bribery scheme.

Rocky Mountain Voice, October 16, 2026: Former Director of Colorado’s judicial discipline commission spent years trying to force accountability.