Close Free Consultation:
Tap Here to Call Us

The Right to an Open Trial in Colorado

The right emerged historically from English common law.

The right began, not as a right of the accused, but as a way to reinforce the legitimacy of convictions by way of an open and public trial.

Today the right to a public trial is viewed as a key aspect of the American legal system. Our founding fathers viewed the right to a public trial guarantee as an important safeguard to our freedom and placed the right squarely in the Bill of Rights.

The right to an open trial is universally recognized as a benefit for the accused. In Colorado it is embodied in the Colorado Constitution.

The case most associated with this important right was decided in 1980. The U.S. Supreme Court in the 1980 case of Richmond Newspapers, Inc. v. Virginia, stated that “we have a long history of open criminal trials and that the fundamental right to attend criminal trials was implicit in the First Amendment.”

When Is The Closure Of A Colorado Courtroom Unconstitutional The Waller Tests

When a Trial Judge in Colorado closes a courtroom for a trial if the closure of that courtroom is unconstitutional it constitutes a violation of the Sixth Amendment and is known as a “structural error”of the trial.

Four years after the Richmond case, in Waller v. Georgia, 467 U.S. 39 (1984), the U.S. Supreme Court’s crafted a four-part test known today as the “Waller Tests.” Colorado follows the Waller Tests for the lawful or unlawful closing of a courtroom.

To resolve whether a Trial Court’s closure of a courtroom violates a Defendant’s rights under the Sixth Amendment, the Court must go through a Waller analysis.

But before we look at those tests, let’s take another look at the basic legal foundation of the right itself.

The Sixth Amendment Right to a Public Trial in Colorado

Both the United States and the Colorado Constitutions guarantee criminal defendants the right to a public trial. U.S. Const. amends. VI, XIV; Colo. Const. art. II, § 16.

If a Defendant is unconstitutionally denied a public trial as noted above, this is considered a ” structural error.” A structural error affects the very framework within which a trial proceeds. This kind of error is not just a “process error,”structural errors are so fundamental to the right to a fair trial, they “require an automatic reversal without the need for an individualized analysis of how the error impairs the reliability of the judgment of conviction.” People v. Flockhart, 2013 CO 42, ¶ 17, 304 P.3d 227, 232.2

While a public trial is a fundamental right and is grounded in the Constitutions of both The US and Colorado, the right to a public trial is not absolute. There are situations where “the government’s interest in inhibiting disclosure of sensitive information” outweighs the right to a public proceeding. But “[s]uch circumstances will be rare” and the “the balance of interests must be struck with special care.”

The Waller Tests

In Waller, the Court mandated FOUR requirements that a Trial Court must meet in order to constitutionally validly close a courtroom.

First, “the party seeking to close the [proceeding] must advance an overriding interest that is likely to be prejudiced.”

Second, “the closure must be no broader than necessary to protect that interest.”

Third, “the trial court must consider reasonable alternatives to closing the proceeding.”( “[t]rial courts are obligated to take every reasonable measure to accommodate public attendance at criminal trials.” Presley v. Georgia, 558 U.S. 209, 215 (2010))

Fourth, the trial court “must make findings adequate to support the closure.”

The Right To An Open Courtroom In Colorado

I often have clients ask me if it is “ok” for us to be in the courtroom. The answer I give is of course a loud “yes of course it is more than ok.” What follows is a more powerful and complete answer by a Weld County Judge some years ago:

A Weld County District Court Judge, Judge Thomas J. Quammen once said the following about an open courtroom:

Anybody can come in here and observe what is happening. This isn’t my court, this belongs to the people of the State of Colorado. . . .

The People have a right to know not only what the Court does, they have a right to know how the Court does it, they have a right to know how their prosecutors handle cases, and this is up for public review, up for public scrutiny.

Only in very, very defined areas do we take the drastic step of closing a courtroom.

…what happens here is public information and the people have a right out there to draw whatever conclusions that they want to about what happened, why it happened, and whether it should have happened or not have happened, but they can’t make those decisions, informed decisions unless they are informed.

Most Recently The Right To An Open Courtroom (During Jury Selection) Was Reaffirmed

The Sixth Amendment right to a public trial applies to the voir dire of prospective jurors said the United States Supreme Court in Presley v. Georgia , 528 U.S. __ (2010).

“Trial courts are obligated to take every reasonable measure to accommodate public attendance at criminal trials.” “The public has a right to be present whether or not any party has asserted the right.”

Trial courts must consider alternatives to limiting pubic access, even when no alternatives are offered by the parties.

If you found any information I have provided on this web page article helpful please click my Plus+1 or the Share button below so that others may also find it.

Never stop fighting never stop believing in yourself and your right to due process of law.

About The Author: H. Michael Steinberg Email The Author at hmsteinberg@hotmail.com. A Denver Colorado Criminal Defense Lawyer or call his office at 303-627-7777 during business hours or call his cell if you cannot wait and need his immediate assistance 720-220-2277. Attorney H. Michael Steinberg is passionate about criminal defense. His extensive knowledge and experience of Colorado Criminal Law gives him the edge you need to properly handle your case.

You must make a responsible choice for a Colorado Criminal Defense Lawyer we encourage you to look at our firm. Over the last 30 plus years H. Michael has mastered nearly every area of criminal law, procedure, trial and courtroom practice and he is passionate about getting you the best result in your case. He has written, and continues to write, extensively on Colorado criminal law and he hopes this article helps you in some small way.


Practice Areas
Client Reviews
★★★★★
"Mr. Steinberg provided my family with expert handling of my son's case. He took extra time understand the case, to consult with us during the pretrial proceedings, and to support him for a plea agreement. Mr. Steinberg is very knowledge about the law and very professional. He guided us in achieving the best possible outcome for my son. If I am ever in need of law services again, I will certainly have Mr. Steinberg handle my case. l also highly recommend his services to anyone that might be in need of an excellent defense attorney!" Tanya Witt
★★★★★
"I found myself in criminal trouble, that I wasn't guilty of and thanks to Mr. Steinberg's dedication and hard work, right before we we're looking at having to continue on to trial level Mr. Steinberg was able to use his vast knowledge of the law and his many respected years in the system to find a way to show my innocence. After a very unsure and somewhat difficult time for me, this very skilled and knowledgeable attorney was able to find the right path to take to reach a dismissal in my case. For that I can't tell you how much I appreciate his representation and his excellent understanding and helpful personality. He's a great man and an even better attorney but don't misunderstand him, he is an attorney not a therapist. Thanks H." Josh
★★★★★
"Working with Michael Steinberg was a wonderful experience. Truly people need to know that he is a expert in what he does. His personality is compassionate, intellectual, and down to earth. I glean that Michael is fun to be around. In the time I worked with him, it was a pleasure to be around him. As for my case, the outcome was amazing and couldn’t be better. He has made my life more manageable because of the outcome of my case. I’ve worked with other lawyers in the Denver area. He is superior to them all. If you’re in need of a lawyer and you come across Mr. Steinberg look no further he’s going to be the one you need. Thank you again Michael." Renee Taylor
★★★★★
Mr. Steinberg, It has been an honor working with you. I very much appreciated your style, demeanor, patience, and determination. I was well instructed in every step of the court process, and I felt that I received excellent guidance and timely information regarding my case. You have been extremely thoughtful with your time, and I was very impressed with your sensitivity in responding to my requests. Thank you. Anonymous
Contact Us