By Alicia McNally, LAW WEEK COLORADO
DENVER — Denver District Chief Judge Larry Naves will begin working at the Judicial Arbiter Group in April.
JAG office administrator Jerry Lockwood said Naves, 63, was hired because of his “common sense” approach to solving problems.
“He’s got great communication skills, he’s smart and he’s able to relate to people,” Lockwood said.
Of some of his more recent notable cases, Naves threw out changes to medical marijuana policy made during an emergency meeting of the state Board of Health, stating that the board violated the Open Meetings Act. The chief judge has also been involved in the construction of the new Denver Justice Center at Colfax and Fox streets, which will be completed by this spring.
“His experience typifies his approach and he understands their ramifications,” Lockwood said. “They’re very much people issues. He’s got that balance and that’s what [JAG] looks for. We’re very excited that he’s coming to work here.”
JAG is a private judicial service with offices in Denver and Colorado Springs composed of 25 former trial and appellate judges who perform remediation and arbitration. Other former chief judges include former Boulder County District Court Judges Dick Dana and Bill Neighbors, Lockwood said.
“This kind of position is a logical progression in a career,” Lockwood said. “He can still do a lot of the things he was doing as a judge and the trial bar. It’s kind of a natural fit.”
Naves, a 1987 appointee of then-Gov. Dick Lamm, is also a 2009 recipient of the Judicial Excellence Award from the Colorado Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates.
Colorado Chief Justice Mary Mullarkey will choose Naves’ successor from the 20 remaining Denver District Court judges, two of whom — Judges Christina Habas and Morris Hoffman — are also in the running for spots on Colorado’s federal bench.

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