Opinion ID: 1247988
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: C.R.C.P. 97 provides:

Text: A judge shall be disqualified in an action in which he is interested or prejudiced, or has been of counsel for any party, or is or has been a material witness, or is so related or connected with any party or his attorney as to render it improper for him to sit on the trial, appeal, or other proceeding therein. A judge may disqualify himself on his own motion for any of said reasons, or any party may move for such disqualification and a motion by a party for disqualification shall be supported by affidavit. Upon the filing by a party of such a motion all other proceedings in the case shall be suspended until a ruling is made thereon. Upon disqualifying himself, a judge shall notify forthwith the chief judge of the district who shall assign another judge in the district to hear the action. If no other judge in the district is available or qualified, the chief judge shall notify forthwith the court administrator who shall obtain from the Chief Justice the assignment of a replacement judge. Ordinarily, the question of whether a judge should be disqualified in a civil case is a matter within the discretion of the trial court. In re Marriage of Mann, 655 P.2d 814 (Colo.1982). However, where an attorney for one of the litigants signs a verified affidavit alleging conduct and statements on the part of a trial judge which, if true, show bias or prejudice or the appearance of bias or prejudice on the part of the trial judge, it is an abuse of discretion if that judge does not withdraw from the case, even though he or she believes the statements are false or that the meaning attributed to them by the party seeking recusal is erroneous. In such a case, the judge should not pass upon the truth or falsity of the facts alleged in the affidavit, but only upon the adequacy of the motion as a matter of law. The motion and supporting affidavit speak for themselves and the only question involved is whether the facts alleged are sufficient to compel the judge to disqualify himself. Kovacheff v. Langhart, 147 Colo. 339, 343-44, 363 P.2d 702, 705 (1961). The motion and affidavits are legally adequate if they state facts from which it may reasonably be inferred that the judge has a bias or prejudice that will prevent him from dealing fairly with the party seeking recusal. People v. Botham, 629 P.2d 589, 595 (Colo.1981). [2] The facts alleged by the petitioner's attorney are legally adequate under this standard. They are not based on mere suspicion, surmise, speculation, rationalization, conjecture, [or] innuendo; nor are they statements of mere conclusions of the pleader which may not form the basis of a legally sufficient motion to disqualify. Carr v. Barnes, 196 Colo. 70, 73, 580 P.2d 803, 805 (1978). Rather, they are reports concerning actual events and statements which, if true, evidence partiality or the appearance of bias or prejudice against the petitioner on the part of the respondent judge. The purpose of statutes and court rules which provide for the disqualification of a trial judge is to guarantee that no person is forced to litigate before a judge with a bent of mind. See Botham, 629 P.2d at 595; Berger v. United States, 255 U.S. 22, 41 S.Ct. 230, 65 L.Ed. 481 (1921). Although the trial judge is convinced of his or her own impartiality, if it nonetheless appears to the parties or to the public that the judge may be biased or prejudiced, the same harm to public confidence in the administration of justice occurs. See Botham, 629 P.2d at 595. As we stated in People v. District Court, 192 Colo. 503, 507-08, 560 P.2d 828, 831-32 (1977): Basic to our system of justice is the precept that a judge must be free of all taint of bias and partiality. `The principle of impartiality, disinterestedness, and fairness on the part of the judge is as old as the history of courts; in fact the administration of justice through the mediation of courts is based upon this principle. It is a fundamental idea, running through and pervading the whole system of judicature, and it is the popular acknowledgment of the inviolability of this principle which gives credit, or even toleration, to decrees of judicial tribunals.' Moreover, not only the actuality of fairness must concern us, but the appearance of fairness as well. A trial judge must `conduct himself at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary.' Courts must meticulously avoid any appearance of partiality, not merely to secure the confidence of the litigants immediately involved, but `to retain public respect and secure willing and ready obedience to their judgments.' (Citations omitted.) See also Taylor v. Hayes, 418 U.S. 488, 94 S.Ct. 2697, 41 L.Ed.2d 897 (1974). It is our duty to eliminate every semblance of reasonable doubt or suspicion that a trial by a fair and impartial tribunal may be denied. Therefore, under the circumstances present in this case, the respondent judge should have disqualified himself.