Panel will provide policy guidance and support to problem-solving courts

DENVER - A newly appointed advisory committee of the Colorado Supreme Court will convene April 25, 2008, in the first of several meetings intended to develop effective practices and procedures for forming and maintaining problem-solving courts throughout Colorado.
Chief Justice Mary Mullarkey, in an April 9, 2008, order, established the Problem Solving Court Advisory Committee and appointed its 19 members, including judges, magistrates and other court and probation officials from around the state.
Problem-solving courts such as drug courts, DUI courts, mental health courts and family treatment courts are being established in judicial districts all over Colorado. Drug-treatment courts have demonstrated better outcomes for substance-abusing clients than traditional courts have. Clients in treatment courts are more likely to successfully complete treatment, are more likely to have positive outcomes and are less likely to offend again.
Mullarkey said such courts have been established primarily at the local level with little coordination with other judicial districts regarding staffing and funding details, availability of treatment and other policies.
``An effective evaluation of problem-solving courts that will guide future development of these courts cannot be undertaken without an oversight body to make specific recommendations to the court regarding best practices in the problem-solving court field,' Mullarkey said in the order.
More than 2,500 problem-solving courts are in operation in the United States, including nearly 50 in Colorado.
The order establishing the committee, detailing its charged tasks and appointing its members, along with the chief justice's letter to committee members is at http://www.courts.state.co.us/supct/committees/problemsolvingctadvisorycommittee/letter%20to%20members%20and%20order.pdf.
The initial members of the committee will serve for two-year terms with the option of extending their appointments. The members are:
Name Title Judicial District
Roxanne Bailin (chair) Chief Judge Twentieth
Jaclyn Senese District Administrator First
Larry Naves Chief Judge Second
Karen Ashby Presiding Judge Denver Juvenile Court
Lisa Kirkman Magistrate Fourth
Martha Minot County Judge Sixth
J. Steven Patrick Chief Judge Seventh
Daniel Kaup District Judge Eighth
Paul Cooper Chief Probation Officer Eighth
James Boyd Chief Judge Ninth
Lisa Lane Chief Probation Officer Eleventh
John Kuenhold Chief Judge Twelfth
Steven Proctor Chief Probation Officer Thirteenth
Caren Stanley District Administrator Fifteenth and Sixteenth
Katherine Delgado District Judge Seventeenth
Laurie McKager District Administrator Eighteenth
Gilbert Gutierrez District Judge Nineteenth
Kevin Nelan Chief Probation Officer Nineteenth
Eric Hogue District Administrator Sixth and Twenty-second