People v. Charles James Burden. 19PDJ015. March 21, 2019. The Presiding Disciplinary Judge approved the parties’ conditional admission of misconduct and publicly censured Charles James Burden (attorney registration number 50232), effective March 21, 2019.
On August 8, 2017, a Broomfield County jury found Burden guilty of a DUI, careless driving, driving on the wrong side of a divided highway, and DUI per se. He was sentenced to thirty days in jail with work release, eighteen months of probation with monitored sobriety, and forty-eight hours of useful public service. He was also ordered to pay fines and costs.
On August 21, 2017, Burden pleaded guilty to another DUI in Jefferson County. He was sentenced to 365 days in jail. He served the first ten days in jail with work release, and served the remaining 355 days in the outmate program. Burden was sentenced to two years of probation with monitored sobriety, alcohol treatment, and completion of a Mothers Against Drunk Driving panel. He was also ordered to complete forty-eight hours of useful public service and to pay fines and costs.
Through his conduct, Burden violated Colo. RPC 8.4(b) (a lawyer shall not commit a criminal act that reflects adversely on the lawyer’s honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness as a lawyer in other respects). The case file is public per C.R.C.P. 251.31.