At a time when the state has already made across-the-board budget cuts, at a time when Colorado courts face unprecedented back logs, 7NEWS has an exclusive investigation into the spending of your tax dollars.

Video

7NEWS' Investigation Into Judicial Convention

On 7NEWS Investigates: Judges caught on camera golfing, hiking, biking and visiting a spa -- all during a conference you paid for. 7NEWS Investigator Tony Kovaleski explains.

You can be the judge. Have Colorado judges made the wrong decisions at your expense? Is this a judicial education or a taxpayer-funded vacation?

"The work of a judge is critical to society. People -- lawyers don't come to these positions trained and ready to go ... So a judge who attends everything is going to be exceptionally busy," said Colorado Supreme Court Justice Alex Martinez.

They claim it's an education, but pictures from 7NEWS' hidden cameras raise questions about how and why judges spent more than $100,000 of your tax dollars.

More than 300 Colorado judges traveled to Vail during the final week of September. They traveled to the Vail Cascade Resort and Spa for Colorado's annual judicial conference.

Tony Kovaleski/7News: If a judge accepts taxpayer money, is the expectation they attend the conference?
Justice Alex Martinez/Colorado Supreme Court: Yes. The judges are required to attend the conference. The requirement of attending the conference does not mean just being at the location, it means attending programs.

It was a conference so vital that for three days, Colorado's courtrooms remained dark. So critical, that it virtually shut down the state's legal system.

Kovaleski: So is this conference about training?
Justice Alex Martinez: It's about training.

And while some judges found the training in classrooms, our hidden cameras also found judges in training on the golf course, on a hiking trail, the bike paths, in the spa and on the running trail. All activities during conference hours from 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Adams County District Judge John Vigil is seen on surveillance camera jogging on the second morning of the conference. His registration shows that he planned to attend conference sessions in the morning and the afternoon. The judge followed his morning run with a three-hour hike in the afternoon.

Joining Judge Vigil on the hiking path is Denver District Judge Frank Martinez, who decided to hike Vail's mountains instead of sitting in a workshop on Windows 2000 and in a workshop titled "Just, Speedy and Inexpensive Justice."

Our cameras also found Denver County Judge Robert Patterson on the golf course.

Golf Shop Employee: There was just three of them, they teed off at 11:51.

His conference registration shows Judge Patterson planned to attend two afternoon workshops. Instead, we found him working on his approach shots, making a long putt, and keeping a close eye on his golf ball.

The spa at the Vail Cascade was also a popular getaway for Colorado judges.

Denver County Judge Mary Celeste, 18th District Judge Juanita Rice and Jefferson County Judge Judy Archuleta -- all elected to leave the classroom environment for the comforts of the world-class spa.

Judge Frederick Skillern of the 18th District decided to put down his conference book and pick up his mountain bike. He spent more than two hours on the trails around Vail.

So ultimately, there were seven judges making seven different decisions -- all choosing recreation over education.

Kovaleski/7News: Is that kind of activity frowned upon or supported?
Justice Alex Martinez: Oh, I would say it's frowned upon ... to the extent it interrupts ... not interrupts ... but uses a lot of time.

There were no sign-in sheets -- no way to prove if a judge did or did not attend classes and workshops.

Justice Alex Martinez: We don't take attendance at any of those functions ... We don't treat them like school children.

Kovaleski: What kind of accountability was in place?

Justice Alex Martinez: (Pause). I am not aware of any accountability like that, and I think the answer to your question is -- we are talking about judges. Assuming that these people are interested in this education, this work we do. And if they are not they shouldn't continue to be among us.

So how do the judges explain their decisions? We wanted to ask Judge John Vigil about his four hours running and hiking.

Kovaleski/7News: I have some video of him at the conference and I would just like you to ... Can you show it to him?
Judge Vigil Staff Person: No I am not. He is declining to be interviewed.

We wanted to ask Judge Frank Martinez about his afternoon on the hiking trail.

Kovaleski/7News: Judge Martinez, can I talk to you for a moment?
Judge Frank Martinez: I have no comment, thank you.
Tony Kovaleski/7News: Sir, can I talk to you for a moment?

We wanted to ask Judge Juanita Rice about her time at the spa.

Kovaleski/7News: Judge Rice? Tony Kovaleski with 7 News. May I speak with you?

We wanted to ask Judge Frederick Skillern about his bike ride.

Kovaleski/7News: Judge Skillern...
Judge Skillern: That would be I.
Kovaleski/7News: Tony Kovaleski with 7News Investigates. Do you have a moment?
Judge Skillern: Good to see you, sir... No I don't.
Kovaleski/7News: Can we talk for just a moment?
Judge Skillern: Sir, I am closing my door.

We wanted to ask Judge Mary Celeste about her spa visit and we wanted to ask Judge Robert Patterson about his round of golf.

Raymond Satter/Denver County Presiding Judge: They have asked me to come out and tell you they have no comment, which is their choice.

Denver County Presiding Judge Raymond Satter watched the pictures and defended his colleagues.

Satter: I will tell you that judges have golfed at judicial conferences from time immemorial.
Kovaleski: So, this is an accepted practice at the Judicial Conference? Is that what I am hearing?
Satter/Denver County Presiding Judge: Yes, to golf to bicycle.
Kovaleski/7News: You are paid to judge people all the time. Is this acceptable?
Satter: It's got to be a slow day for news.

7NEWS has received responses from four of the judges.

Judge Frederick Skillern said, in part, "...because I long ago completed my continuing legal education requirements, I took a long bike ride. No regrets ... it was memorable." You can read Judge Skillern's comments by clicking here.

Judge Mary Celeste said, "I was experiencing tremendous back pain and I needed the massage for medical reasons."

Judge Juanita Rice wrote, "You have implied I played hooky on taxpayer funds ... I took 90 minutes out of my total time at the conference and paid for my spa use personally." You can read Judge Rice's entire letter to 7NEWS Investigates.

And finally Judge Judy Archuletta said, "Out of several days of conference, I do not see my decision to go to the spa as a problem."

So here's what we know: many judges did attend the conference and take it seriously. How many? 7NEWS Investigates can't tell you because there is no accountability for judges at the judicial conference.