AURORA | For the first time in more than a quarter century, Aurora is poised to soon be operating a new courtroom.
At an Aurora City Council study session Monday night, council members unanimously approved a proposal to staff Aurora’s existing courtroom No. 5 in the Aurora Municipal Center using dollars from the city’s general fund. The courtroom, which is fully outfitted with the necessary amenities but has sat dormant for years without the proper personnel, will cost $511,476 to staff, according to city documents. Those funds will be used to pay a judge, reporter, bailiff, assistant city attorney, legal secretary and a court administration clerk.
When the courtroom will become operational remains to be seen, although presiding City Judge Shawn Day at the study session alluded the facility will not operate until after the first month of 2017. He had previously expressed a desire to open the courtroom by Jan. 1.
Day outlined several reasons why the city should open the inert facility, including long wait times for the city’s legal staff, defendants and juries, and the excessive time it takes for the city to set a trial date. In November, the city was setting cases for trial in 55 days, which is down from 61 days in July, according to data provided by Day. Colorado law dictates a fair trial must be set in 91 days — otherwise the case is void.
That’s something Councilwoman Barb Cleland is adamant to prevent.
“My biggest concern…is if we start getting into the high 60s, 70s, whatever, I do not want cases dismissed,” Cleland said.
The courtroom will be the city’s first in 26 years according to Day. The 18th Judicial District has added 11 courtrooms alone since 2006, and the 17th Judicial District has added seven new courtrooms in the same time frame.
The proposal still has to receive formal consent on the council floor when members consider the spring supplemental budget early next year, according to City Spokeswoman Kim Stuart.