Dave M. Furman
Retired
Judge David Furman was appointed to the Colorado Court of Appeals in 2005 and served until his retirement in 2023. Before his appointment, he was a magistrate in the Denver District and Juvenile Courts and maintained a trial and appellate practice emphasizing criminal defense, child protection, and family law. He began his legal career as a deputy public defender in the Appellate Division of the Colorado State Public Defender's Office.
During his tenure on the court of appeals, Judge Furman authored more than 1,200 opinions - including special concurrences and dissents - and concurred in over 2,400 opinions authored by his colleagues. He was a frequent lecturer and contributor to continuing judicial and legal education programs, particularly in appellate and juvenile law.
Judge Furman chaired Colorado's Child Welfare Appeals Workgroup, the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) Rules and Resources Committee, and co-chaired Colorado's Court Improvement Program. He also served on the Juvenile Rules Committee. Among his legislative initiatives, he successfully proposed bills to legislators creating the Office of the Child's Representative and expanding the list of mandatory reporters of child abuse and neglect to include licensed marriage and family therapists, licensed professional counselors, and unlicensed psychotherapists. He also provided statewide training on mandatory reporting for pastors and church staff.
Judge Furman proposed the formation of the Respondent Parents' Counsel Work Group - which recommended the structure for Colorado's Office of Respondent Parents' Counsel - and co-founded the Colorado Lawyer's Juvenile Law Column, serving as its first co-editor (2002-2005). He played a key role in the revision of Colorado Appellate Rule 3.4, governing appellate procedures in child welfare cases, and later served on the court of appeals' special ICWA division.
Judge Furman earned his B.A. degrees in psychology and Christian education from Wheaton College and both his M.S.W. and J.D. from the University of Denver in 1989.
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