The allegations of official misconduct levied against District Attorney Frank Ruybalid have been ordered into mediation by the high court’s disciplinary judge, William Lucero.

Ruybalid has been accused by The Colorado Supreme Court’s Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel of a “chronic, repeated pattern” of rule violations and professional misconduct.  Ruybalid represents Las Animas and Huerfano counties in Colorado as District Attorney and has denied all allegations and refused to consider resignation.  The Counsel’s 67-page report listed 29 separate charges of misconduct against Ruybalid, including improper handling of criminal cases, improper dismissal of cases, including a murder charge, and refusal to obey orders from a judge.

Ruybalid has so far issued no statement in response to the charges, and remains the District Attorney and fully involved in all ongoing and new cases.

Judge Lucero canceled a trial date that had been set for April 14th and ordered both sides into mediation, setting a new trial date of October 21^st 2014 if mediation fails to result in a settlement.  Mediation is a standard part of the process when a District Attorney or member of the DA staff is accused of misconduct, so the judge’s order in no way implies any lack of merit to the charges.