"Back in 2001 after I finished law school, I came out," said Olafson."I'm a gay man, and there's, you know, not as many LGBTQ judges around the country."
Olafson has been Colorado's 2nd Judicial District Court judge for about seven months. One of his first moves under that title was to introduce a civility order. Studies show bias in courtrooms can have devastating impacts. According to the University of Michigan Law School, Black Americans are seven times more likely than white Americans to be falsely convicted of serious crimes. A study in the Justice Policy Journal found jurors have been found to treat gay and lesbian victims of crime more negatively than similarly situated heterosexual victims.
"If you don't feel comfortable accessing the courtroom because you know you're not going to be met where you're at and who you are, that is a barrier to accessing justice," said Martinez. Ryann Peyton, director of the Colorado Supreme Court's Colorado Attorney Mentoring Program , said most judges already issue procedural and decorum orders and expectations, but the addition of inclusion standards is a way to create meaningful change.
Law Law Latest News, Law Law Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: DenverChannel - 🏆 239. / 63 Read more »