Denver County Court

June is Month which means members of our bench took part today in the Pride Marriage Marathon hosted by the Denver Office of the Denver Clerk and Recorder. Congratulations to all the happy couples! Love is love.

Denver youth ages 3–18 can enjoy FREE healthy meals all summer long at participating Tasty Food sites across the City and County of Denver.

☀️ School may be out, but Tasty Food is back for the summer! 🍎🥪

Starting June 1, Denver youth ages 3–18 can enjoy FREE healthy meals all summer long at participating Tasty Food sites across the City and County of Denver.

📅 June 1 – August 21, 2026
🕒 Monday – Friday
📍 Nearly 20 locations across Denver
✅ No ID or registration required

From recreation centers to an outdoor public pool, there are plenty of convenient places for youth to grab a nutritious meal while staying active and connected this summer. 💛

Tasty Food helps ensure young people have access to wholesome meals throughout the summer while helping families stretch their budgets.

Please note: Serving times may change, so be sure to check the Tasty Food webpage for the most up-to-date information ➡️ https://Denvergov.org/TastyFood

Recently, members of our bench and staff volunteered with Metro Caring. It was a rewarding day of service to the Denver community.

As one of Colorado's leading anti-hunger organizations, Metro Caring works with the community to meet people’s immediate need for nutritious, culturally relevant food while building a movement to end hunger at its root causes.

Today, the Vitalant - Colorado blood mobile is parked on Tooley Plaza. Members of Denver County Court, the Colorado Judicial Branch and Denver Sheriff Department are rolling up their sleeves to donate blood.

The Tuesday after Memorial Day is a critical need day to give blood because as we all get busy with summer, donations dwindle and Trauma Season starts.

Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood whether due to an accident, surgery or illness like cancer. And blood has a shelf-life. That's why it is vitally important to keep our blood supply replenished.

As we approach the long holiday weekend, Denver County Court reminds the public that Court will be closed on Monday, May 25th in observance of Memorial Day. We honor those who gave their lives during active service.

HAPPENING TOMORROW: EXPLORER OPEN HOUSE 🧭
Tomorrow, May, 20, 2026, the Denver Police Explorer Program is holding an open house for youth between the ages of 15 and 21 years-old who are interested in a career in law enforcement.

HAPPENING TOMORROW: EXPLORER OPEN HOUSE 🧭

The Denver Police Explorer Program is designed for youth between the ages of 15 and 21 years-old who are interested in a career in law enforcement. The program emphasizes leadership, teamwork, strong values and a host of other skills to help them succeed in life. If you or someone you know is interested in this program, swing by their open house on Wednesday, May 20, 2026 at the Denver Police Training Academy.

TO APPLY:

🖊️ Pick up an application at the open house or by contacting Sgt. Sheridan at [email protected] or 720‑415‑1022.

🤝We would love to see you at the open house, but attendance is not required and you are welcome to apply at any time.

✅ Applicants will be subject to a background check

Denver County Court announces with deep sadness the passing of Judge Andre Rudolph, who died unexpectedly on Friday, May 15, 2026. He was 59 years old. Appointed to the bench in January 2005 by then-Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, Judge Rudolph served for more than two decades and was one of the Court’s longest-serving judges. At 37 years old at the time of his appointment, he was among the youngest judges in the State of Colorado.

“Andre Rudolph was one of the most vibrant, larger-than-life people I have ever known,” said Presiding Judge Kerri Lombardi. “He walked into every room and filled it with his presence, his laugh, his generosity of spirit. As a jurist, he demonstrated every day that the administration of justice is not an abstraction, but a practice carried out with integrity, fairness, and deep humanity. He believed that judges who are present in their communities are better judges, and he lived that belief without exception. I had the privilege of working alongside him and calling him my friend for more than 31 years, and I will miss him in ways I cannot fully put into words. His loss leaves a profound void in this Court and in this community, and his example will shape us for years to come."

Judge Rudolph was born and raised in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where he was later inducted into the Central High School Hall of Fame. He attended the University of Wyoming on a football scholarship, earning his undergraduate degree while competing as part of two WAC Championship football teams in 1987 and 1988, an achievement that twice earned him a place in the University of Wyoming Athletics Hall of Fame. Supported by the prestigious Patricia Roberts Harris Fellowship, he went on to earn his law degree from Creighton University School of Law in Omaha, Nebraska in 1993.

Judge Rudolph began his legal career as a deputy state public defender in 1993, a role in which he quickly distinguished himself, earning the Lowrey Kelley Memorial Boot Camp Award as the outstanding young public defender of the year in 1995. In 1999, he was appointed as a magistrate in Denver District Court to serve on the drug court bench at a time when Denver operated one of the first and largest drug courts in the country, work for which he was later named Drug Court Employee of the Year. He also served as a Magistrate in the 17th Judicial District before his appointment to Denver County Court.

On the bench at Denver County Court, Judge Rudolph presided over municipal and state criminal proceedings and built a reputation for being knowledgeable, prepared, and exceptionally efficient. He was also an adjunct professor at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and received the Sam Cary Bar Association’s Distinguished Jurist Award.

Judge Rudolph was a tireless and joyful presence in the Denver community. He served on the boards of Denver Kids, the Stapleton Redevelopment Corporation, and the Justice Information Center, and was a representative to the Denver County Court’s Racial and Gender Disparity Committee. He mentored minority law students through the Sam Cary Bar Association and the Colorado Hispanic Bar Association. He was twice honored by the Denver Sheriff’s Department, in 2000 and again in 2009, for his personal intervention in apprehending a fleeing felon and assisting deputies in detaining a courtroom escapee and was awarded an honorary badge in a ceremony conducted by the Sheriff’s Department.

Away from the courthouse, Judge Rudolph dedicated himself to a cause close to his heart. After his father was diagnosed with prostate cancer, he became a passionate advocate for early detection, volunteering with Pints for Prostates and carrying the message with personal conviction: “If my dad would have gotten diagnosed earlier, he would still be here.” It was a mission he pursued with the same energy and warmth he brought to everything he did.

Funeral and memorial service arrangements, as well as additional information from the family, will be announced and shared with the public as they become available.

May is . We work closely with many treatment and support organizations to ensure the people who come before us have access to the help they need.

Mental Health Awareness Month is a reminder that mental wellness matters in every community, including our courts and workplaces.

Established in 1949, Mental Health Month, works to raise awareness for positive mental health and wellness, and honors those who are recovering from mental illness.

Public education regarding mental health remains an important tool in spreading awareness and helps remove the stigmas surrounding mental illness. Often, just listening can make a huge difference in the life of someone you care about.

Language does not have to be a barrier to justice. That's why Denver County Court celebrates our interpreters and today is National Interpreter Appreciation Day!

There are about 6,500 languages in the world and on any given day, our court is bound to come in contact with more than one of them.

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With colder weather anticipated, the City and County of Denver will activate its Cold Weather Shelter plan. The Department of Housing Stability will provide extra shelter beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 5 through to 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 7.

Individuals in need of shelter should go to the city’s “front door” shelter access points (denvergov.org/findshelter), which have expanded capacity for the cold weather.

Find shelter here: https://denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Department-of-Housing-Stability/Resident-Resources/Find-Shelter

Find Shelter Find information on shelters, including contact information and hours. This includes shelters for individuals, families, day shelters, supportive services, domestic violence shelters, shelters for pets, and motel voucher policies.