CORTEZ–The Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline (CCJD) has announced formal proceedings to potentially remove Montezuma County Court Judge Ian McLaren for multiple instances of judicial misconduct, including lying while under investigation by the commission.
Montezuma County borders Utah, New Mexico and Arizona in the southwest corner of Colorado.
The 22nd Judicial District judge came under fire during a case involving then Montezuma-Cortez School District Superintendent Tom Burris in August 2024. Burris had been accused of failing to report sexual abuse of a student by a teacher.
After an investigation found no evidence of the alleged abuse, McLaren then scheduled a hearing where he berated Burris over the unsubstantiated charges, and criticized a diversion agreement that he undergo training as an inadequate punishment.
“I’m very disturbed that those reports weren’t made,” MacLaren said. “Looking at the diversion agreement, this looks to me to be a slap on the wrist.”
CCJD Special Council, Jeffery Walsh, filed a complaint against McLaren for presuming Burris guilty as well as inviting the press to promote his own self-image.
“Judge McLaren didn’t stay the proceeding. Instead, he ordered the parties to his courtroom under the pretext of a hearing. He invited the press to attend. Then he used the ‘hearing’ to criticize and shame the parties and to generate publicity about the same,” the complaint reads in part.
The judge and the reporter
A focal point of the investigation is McLaren’s relationship with Cameryn Cass, a female reporter with the The Journal, the Cortez-based newspaper covering Montezuma County and the surrounding area.
Disclosed text messages between Cass and Mclaren show Cass asking for date and time of Burris’s hearing which Mclaren provided. The day before the hearing, McLaren messaged Cass informing her further:
“Happy Monday! You might wanna take a quick glance at tomorrow’s County Court docket;)” McLaren wrote. Cass then asked if they are condemning Burris, to which McLaren replied, “No comment on any possible condemnation;)”
Cass later sent McLaren a picture she “secretly snapped” in the courtroom asking his permission to include in her story. Despite the lack of formal pre-approval process, McLaren approved.
In a formal April 24 inquiry from Anne Mangiardi, executive director of the CCJD, McLaren was asked why he chose to hold the hearing for Burris after the diversion agreement was settled upon, and as well as his invitation and relationship with Cass. McLaren responded on May 20:
“My sole prerogative was to ensure transparency in the judicial process.” McLaren wrote, “There was grave risk, from my perspective, that staying proceedings absent a hearing would cast the illusion that things were being done ‘behind closed doors.’”
Despite the text message evidence, McLaren states he did not invite Cass to the hearing, he did not see her at the hearing, and he was unaware of any photography taken. He describes his relationship with Cass as “more than friends but less than being an official couple,” claiming they have been “romantically involved.”
Cass for her part denies any physical or romantic involvement with McLaren, saying “he was a friend.” The Journal has reported that Cass has since moved from full-time staff reporter to freelancing for the newspaper.
The fallout
According to Montezuma-Cortez school board member Mike Lynch, McLaren has no one to blame but himself for his predicament.
“It seems that Judge McClaren caused his own problems by his misbehavior as a judge and compounded by his many instances of lying to the Commission during their investigation,” Lynch told Complete Colorado, “I guess my only hope is that the public sees that our superintendent and our board have been vindicated for our decisions.”
Retired district court judge Dennis Maes, a former member of the CCJD, shed some light on the commission’s process. Maes told Complete Colorado after somebody files a report of judicial misconduct and a determination is made, it is then referred to an adjudication panel containing a district judge, a lawyer, and a citizen. They then hold a hearing to determine the validity of the allegations.
“It’s a mini trial with the three people being charged with the responsibility of determining whether or not the complaints are legitimate,” Maes explained.
Mclaren is accused of violating eight professional standards. A date has not yet been set for the proceedings.
