Charles Welton

Admitted:
1974, Colorado, U.S. District Court, District of Colorado and U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit; 1979, U.S. Supreme Court

Law School: University of Denver, J.D.

Practice Areas:
-Recovery of Damages from Negligence
-Breach of Contract
-Wrongful Conduct

Biography:
Practice
Private practice of law since 1974, specializing in recovery of damages from negligence, breach of contract and wrongful conduct.
Certified Civil Trial Advocate, National Board of Trial Advocacy, 2001.
Teaching
Adjunct Professor, University of Denver College of Law
Institute for Advanced Legal Studies: Civil Trial Practice Techniques, 1991-1998
Faculty, National Institute for Trial Advocacy, 1998-present
Lorman Educational Services, 1999-2001
Seminars
Publications
A Unilateral Alternative to M.A.D., Guest Editorial, The Denver Post, October 20, 1984
Alternatives to Conflict-Referees Aiding the Practice of Law, The Docket, December, 1984
Recognizing the Duty of Public Entities, Trial Talk, November, 1984, updated and republished in The Colorado Lawyer, May, 1985
Voir Dire on Litigation Bias, Trial Talk, August, 1986
Deposition Discovery: Is Less More?, Trial Talk, March, 1990
Guest Editorial: Taboo Topics, Trial Talk, May, 1991
Course Materials: Courtroom Advocacy through Mock Trial, University of Denver College of Law, Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, 1991, 1995, 1998
University of Denver College of Law, Institute for Advanced Legal Studies: Trial Techniques, Annual Mock Trial Workshop, 1991-1998
The Better Rule of Statutory Construction and Another Legislative Anomaly, Trial Talk, February, 1992
Judgment Interest Calculation, This is the Fun Part, Trial Talk, 1997
Whom do we serve? Malpractice Protection News, CBA, 1998
Second Look at McNamara (Robert), (Book Review) The Docket, DBA, 1998
Editor, Colorado Attorney: Professional Liability Handbook, Risk Management Chapter, 1999
Course Materials: Taking and Defending Effective Depositions in Colorado, Lorman Educational Services, 1999, 2000
Tort Reform Exposed as Ruse, (Book Review) Trial Talk, 2000
So What's the Story with Mold Claims, Anyway? Trial Talk, February, 2007
Hold the High Ground, Trial Talk, June, 2007
An Unexpected Battle - a Colorado Anomaly?, Trial Talk, June, 2007
Memberships
Denver Bar Association
Colorado Bar Association
Colorado Trial Lawyers Association
National Board of Trial Advocacy
Additional Biography Material
Marquis'
- Who's Who in America
- Who's Who in the World
- Who's Who of Emerging Leaders in America
- Who's Who in the West
- Who's Who in American Law
Designated, Law and Politics, Colorado Super Lawyers, 2006 & 2009
Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory
Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register
PUBLISHED CASES
(Cases published by the appellate courts)
Jefferson County School District R-1 v. Justus, 725 P.2d 767 (Colo. 1986) (duty of governmental entities): I represented a young boy who sustained a brain injury with lifelong effects. The Colorado Supreme Court extended the "reasonable care" duty to public entities, here, an elementary school. It was immediately after this case that the Colorado legislature passed the law, still in effect, granting limited immunity to governmental entities, depending on what they're doing.
Rodriguez vs. Schutt, 896 P.2d 881 (Colo. App. 1994) (lost evidence, verdict affirmed, 914 P.2d 921 (Colo. 1996) (denial of equal protection, judgment interest statute rewritten): I represented a young man who nearly lost his arm from a sliding window in a screen door. We defended our verdict in the Court of Appeals because the broken window had been lost. The Colorado Supreme Court then agreed that the Colorado statute providing for interest on judgments was unfair to my client, and the Colorado Supreme Court rewrote the statute for us so that my client, and others who followed, could recover a fair rate of interest. This is the law today.
Carter v. S.B.A., 573 P.2d 564 (Co. App. 1977), cert. Denied, 104 S.Ct. 711, 464 U.S. 1043, 79 L.Ed. 174 (right to judicial review): My client was a small minority business man seeking equal treatment from the Small Business Administration. The courts held that the SBA did have an obligation to treat my client reasonably and fairly, measured by a court of law.
McCafferty vs. Musat, 817 P.2dd 1039 (Colo. App. 1990) (legal malpractice, duty issues, prejudgment interest): My client was badly injured in a mine explosion. The lawyer who represented him mishandled the case when he went to work for the law firm that was defending the claim (the other side). We established precedent that legal malpractice plaintiffs are entitled to interest on their judgment from the date of the wrongdoing. A multimillion dollar recovery was obtained.

University of Denver
Juris Doctorate,