1801 California Street, Suite 4900
Denver, CO 80202
Phone: 303.894.6366
Fax: 303.894.9239

2006 Accomplishments

The Homeless ID Task Force challenged Colorado's restrictive identification requirements which create significant barriers for Colorado residents, especially homeless individuals, in obtaining state identification cards and thus deny them access to public benefits and other modern necessities.

The Taylor Ranch Task Force implemented a court order opening the gates of the Taylor Ranch in the San Luis Valley to plaintiff property owners who for 40 years had been denied access to the property to exercise traditional use rights to graze livestock and collect wood and timber.

The CBMS Task Force monitored compliance with the December 2004 court order against the State in connection with its new computer system that improperly delayed and denied public benefits.

The Public Benefits Task Force was created to explore and remove systemic obstacles in the delivery of public benefits.

The Sentencing Reform Task Force studied successful sentencing reform efforts in other states and prepared a report for the Colorado legislature recommending creation of a Sentencing Commission as a means of reducing criminal justice costs without impairing public safety.

The Children's Task Force examined allegations that counties are failing to provide necessary services for abused undocumented children.

The Colorado Innocence Project investigated prisoner allegations of innocence to determine whether scientific or other evidence supports the prisoners' release.

The Medicaid Services for Children Task Force worked with State agencies and the Colorado Legislature to increase access to federally mandated medical care for children on Medicaid.

The Legal Night Clinic program was created and provided legal information and referrals for over 800 individuals in the Denver community.

Project Homeless Connect, a joint project of the Denver Commission on Homelessness and the Mile High United Way, provided legal information and referrals to homeless individuals. In two separate events, legal information was provided to more than 200 homeless individuals.

The Hate Violence Teaching Tolerance program presented mock trials based on Colorado's hate crimes/bias statute to more than 600 students and community leaders. In collaboration with the Colorado Division of Civil Rights, the teaching tolerance program was expanded beyond the Denver metro area.

The Mental Health Task Force assessed current barriers to mental health services for children and the underprivileged and explored means to reverse trends that have severely reduced needed services.

The Election Task Force, a nonpartisan working group including representatives from the Secretary of State's Office, the specialty bar associations, the Republican and Democratic parties, Colorado Common Cause and other interested groups, worked to identify and resolve issues regarding the 2006 election. They also recruited volunteer lawyers to serve as Election Judges in the 2006 election.

The Nonprofit Working Group, a coalition of lawyers, legal services and nonprofit service organizations was created to explore the legal needs of nonprofits that serve indigent populations. With the Colorado Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel, Mile High United Way and other organizations, they sponsored a clinic to provide legal audits for nonprofits.

The Immigration Task Force provided legal supervision to a San Luis Valley organization that assists immigrants.

The Colorado Lawyers Committee participated in efforts to expand pro bono opportunities, including implementation of the Colorado Supreme Court's new Pro Bono Initiative (Rule 6.1).