Denver County Court Opens New Competency Support Docket;
A progressive approach to helping people with mental illness.
Whether a person understands court proceedings and can assist in their own defense is fundamental to a functioning criminal justice system. To better meet the needs of defendants where competency concerns have been raised, the Denver County Court today announced the opening of its new Competency Support Docket. The goal of this specialty docket is to connect these defendants with mental-health support services so that they get the help they need, while at the same time allowing for legal proceedings to continue as quickly as possible. Based on the experience of other courts with similar programs, the expectation is to see an increase in public safety and a decrease in recidivism rates.
“Competency cases are resource and time intensive and often involve several separate agencies. By having these cases heard and supported by a dedicated team that is fluent in competency-related matters, we expect to shorten the time it takes to stabilize defendants, keep these cases moving forward and improving public safety,” said Denver County Court Presiding Judge Kerri Lombardi. “This approach supports equitable and procedural justice because all individuals will now have the same opportunities to connect with programs, resources, services, and specialized expertise when competency is raised or is in question. I want to commend Judge Kelly Cherry for her efforts to launch the Competency Support Docket and thank her for presiding over these cases.”
To be eligible for the Competency Support Docket, a person must first be charged with a misdemeanor offense in the City and County of Denver and have their competency to proceed in question. The individual will then be assessed by Denver Health using a screen to determine the likelihood of being found incompetent to proceed. Individuals who are found to meet all eligibility criteria will have their cases reviewed in the Competency Support Docket for further case proceedings. The Competency Support Docket team will then look at all possible case
avenues for individuals to be diverted to treatment and support services outside of the formal legal competency process as appropriate.
The Competency Support Docket is held in Courtroom 3G of the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse with the Honorable Judge Kelly Cherry presiding. It is staffed by stakeholders who have expertise in competency-related guidance, resources, and case proceedings. This specialty court is a project between Denver County Court, the Denver District Attorney’s Office, the Colorado Public Defender’s Office, Denver Health, Bridges of Colorado, Servicios de la Raza, Denver FIRST, Second Chance Center, WellPower, the Office of Civil and Forensic Mental Health, and other service and treatment providers.
About Denver County Court
As Denver’s third branch of government, Denver County Court is the court where justice starts. It is our mission to serve the public by promoting the rule of law and administering justice fairly, efficiently, and effectively. The Court is committed to providing an environment that is safe, accessible, and respectful to all who come before it. Denver County Court handles more than 100,000 criminal and civil cases each year making it the busiest court with the highest caseload of any court in Colorado. In addition, Denver County Court has the most diverse bench in the state and one of the most diverse benches in the country. In 2022, a city-wide survey found that Denver County Court employees have the highest level of engagement in the city with 93.2% of court employees finding their work meaningful.
Contact Information
Carolyn A. Tyler, Public Information Officer
carolyn.tyler@denvercountycourt.org
720-865-7816