The People of the State of Colorado v. Martin Novotny, Respondent the People of the State of Colorado v. Edward…

Summary

The court reversed the court of appeals' judgments and remanded for outcome-specific harmless-error analysis of erroneous rulings on challenges for cause. It held that a compensated employee of the state attorney general's office is subject to removal for cause because the office is statutorily designated a law-enforcement agency, but that an erroneous ruling affecting peremptory challenges is not automatically reversible or structural error. Justice Hood, joined by Justice Hobbs, concurred in the statutory ruling but would have retained or expressly reaffirmed automatic reversal under state law.