Sean Murphy Suspended Retired

Sean K. Murphy, a San Miguel County, Colorado Court judge and former Telluride mayor, was suspended by the Colorado Supreme Court on October 27, 2025, after the Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline raised "serious concerns" about his courtroom conduct. The Commission's complaint alleged his misconduct affected roughly two dozen cases and forced some litigants to wait years for decisions, in violation of Code of Judicial Conduct rules requiring judges to perform their duties competently and diligently. Documented incidents included a half-naked man walking behind him during a virtual proceeding, a dog roaming the courtroom during a trial, someone serving him lunch during a hearing, routinely starting hearings substantially late, conducting hearings remotely so often it was speculated he no longer lived in the judicial district, screaming at a clerk, and forcing litigants to wait in his courtroom during a blizzard. In January 2026, disciplinary authorities disclosed significant health issues that allegedly played a role in his actions and asked that the case proceed as a disability matter; Murphy resigned effective January 9, 2026, and the misconduct case was subsequently dismissed.