U.S. Sen. Mark Udall on Thursday filed an amendment to the Senate’s health care reform bill intended to reduce the cost and complexity of medical malpractice lawsuits, which many consider a factor in the rising cost of health care. The Colorado Democrat’s amendment, which is supported by the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System at the University of Denver, would establish federal grants for pilot programs administered by nonprofit organizations to streamline the legal process in medical malpractice cases, The Denver Business Journal reports.

An old debate about whether judges should be elected or appointed is heating up again. Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and several state Supreme Court justices are planning a nationwide push during next year’s state legislative sessions to end the practice of electing judges. Nevada already has such a proposal before voters on the 2010 ballot, the Associated Press reports.
Colorado is one of the states that has a so-called “merit selection” system. The University of Denver’s Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System, headed by former Colorado Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Love Kourlis, is coordinating the effort.

By Ali McNally, LAW WEEK COLORADO
Theresa Spahn, a former top executive in Colorado’s Judicial Branch, is the new director of the Judicial Selective Initiative at the University of Denver’s Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System, headed by former Colorado Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Love Kourlis.
“It’s a national initiative that is going to leverage what we consider a unique window of opportunity to really move the needle on judicial selection reform throughout the U.S.,” said the institute’s spokeswoman, Dallas Jamison. “[Kourlis] has known Theresa for some time and is a big fan of her work and her achievements.”
Jamison added that the institute will make a formal announcement on Dec. 10 that will detail the initiative’s official agenda and participants. Spahn and Kourlis were out of time at press time and could not be reached.
Spahn quietly joined the institute last month. She formerly headed the state Office of the Child’s Representative. Linda Weinerman has been acting as interim executive director.
The office is a state agency charged with representing in dependency and neglect (child abuse), delinquency, domestic relations, paternity, truancy and probate cases. The office contracts with more than 250 attorneys.
According OCR staff attorney Sarah Ehrlich, applications will be reviewed and interviewing will begin next week. Spahn’s former position should be filled by Dec. 1, she said.