Colorado Municipal Judges Association discussion on dealing with difficult litigants, from theory to practice.

Had an incredible experience sharing insights with judges from the Colorado Municipal Judges Association at their Spring Conference. I am grateful to Erin OBrien and The National Judicial College for the opportunity to present on sovereign citizens and self-representative litigants. Special thanks to Judge Jason Lantagne, Presiding Municipal Court Judge of the City of Westminster and current president of the CMJA, for his courtesy and facilitation of the program.

It was wonderful to reconnect with familiar faces who have retired from the state bench and are now contributing their talents as municipal court judges. The conversations were fruitful, and the experiences shared by the audience were invaluable to the success of the presentation.

Our discussion focused not only on practical strategies for addressing challenging litigants but also on the importance of self-reflection regarding our reactions, which can serve as a barometer of our personal journeys. It is essential to connect any training with self-reflection, as ultimately, it is human beings who apply what they learn through the lens of their own lives.

I also had the privilege of attending a talk by Chief Justice Monica Marquez of the Colorado Supreme Court. Her journey, having driven 400 miles from Supreme Court arguments in Eastern Colorado to the conference site outside Grand Junction, was impressive. Hearing her life story provided deeper insight into how life experiences shape one’s perspective as a judge. She expressed admiration for the quality of the programs of the The National Judicial College and encouraged participants to explore future programming, including a training on May 29th in Denver focused on enhancing communication with the public as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

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