Legislators chosen for ‘Common Sense’ awards for 2022

DENVER — Colorado Civil Justice League announced winners of its  Common Sense in the Courtroom Awards, given to state legislators who have demonstrated a commitment to curtailing lawsuit abuse and protecting small business and working families from the cost of frivolous litigation.

Awards will be presented at a luncheon on Oct. 7 at the Denver Four Seasons, sponsored by American Furniture Warehouse, COPIC, Colorado Hospital Association, State Farm, Rocky Mountain Mechanical Contractors Association, Husch Blackwell, Spencer Fane and Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell.

CCJL is the only organization in Colorado exclusively dedicated to stopping lawsuit abuse while preserving a system of civil justice that fairly compensates legitimate victims.

“Common Sense in the Courtroom requires justice for those who have been harmed by someone else, balanced by fairness for those who may be wrongfully accused,” said CCJL executive director Mark Hillman.

When the Colorado General Assembly adjourned in May, it’s record on civil justice was nothing to write home about.  This was no surprise given the expansions of liability handed to TV lawyers over the past four years.  But for Colorado businesses, it was another round of “the beatings will continue until morale improves.”

Legislators did restore sanity to premises liability law (Senate Bill 115), stopped an attempt to undermine employers’ ability to make workplace safety decisions (House Bill 1152), and put the brakes on an attempt to kill one of the few remaining protections against frivolous lawsuits (HB 1272).

“At CCJL, we are grateful for the bipartisan support of legislators who understand the importance of an efficient and balanced court system to our state’s economic health,” Hillman said.

Unfortunately, legislators cast too many votes to expand liability and to transfer or entrust responsibility for enforcing our state’s laws to private contingency-fee lawyers.

Common Sense in the Courtroom Award recipients include:

Representatives Mark Baisley (Roxborough Park), Shannon Bird (Westminster), Rod Bockenfeld (Watkins), Mary Bradfield (Colorado Springs), Terri Carver (Colorado Springs), Marc Catlin (Montrose), Tim Geitner (Peyton), Richard Holtorf (Akron), Colin Larson (Littleton), Stephanie Luck (Penrose), Mike Lynch (Wellington), Julie McCluskie (Dillon), Hugh McKean (Loveland), Barbara McLachlan (Durango), Rod Pelton (Cheyenne Wells), Andy Pico (Colorado Springs), Kim Ransom (Douglas County), Janice Rich (Grand Junction), Dylan Roberts (Eagle), Shane Sandridge (Colorado Springs), Marc Snyder (Manitou Springs), Matt Soper (Delta), Kerry Tipper (Lakewood), Alex Valdez (Denver), Tonya Van Beber (Eaton), Kevin Van Winkle (Highlands Ranch), Perry Will (New Castle), David Williams (Colorado Springs) and Dan Woog (Erie).

Senators Don Coram (Montrose), Bob Gardner (Colorado Springs), Joann Ginal (Fort Collins), Dennis Hisey (Colorado Springs), Chris Holbert (Douglas County), Barb Kirkmeyer (Brighton), Larry Liston (Colorado Springs), Paul Lundeen (Monument), Kevin Priola (Henderson), Ray Scott (Grand Junction), Cleave Simpson (Alamosa), Jim Smallwood (Parker), Jerry Sonnenberg (Sterling), Rob Woodward (Loveland) and Rachel Zenzinger (Arvada).