BOULDER — A plan proposed by Boulder’s city attorney would take away a person’s right to request a jury trial on most city tickets, the Daily Camera reported.
The move is at least partly aimed at addressing the deluge of trial requests by homeless people facing camping tickets, the newspaper said.
Currently, municipal offenses — such as failing to clear snow from sidewalks, littering, skateboarding on the Pearl Street Mall, sledding on open space, having glass bottles in city parks and camping illegally in public places — come with a maximum fine of $1,000 and up to 90 days in jail.
As a practical matter, the Daily Camera said, the maximum penalties never apply to first-time offenders, and judges have wide discretion on setting the appropriate punishment.
City Attorney Tom Carr said in a memo he wants to change the penalty for a first- or second-time conviction within two years to a maximum fine of $500. That also would eliminate people’s right to request a jury trial on their ticket until their third offense. It would not preclude a trial by a judge.
Denver Post staff and wire reports
