Richard Murray Borchers

Born in Columbus, Ohio, he was the eldest of three children of Herman “Butch” and Kathleen “Kae” Borchers. Dick grew up in Elyria, Ohio, where he enjoyed the outdoors and delivering the local paper. His mother, a native of Manitoba, Canada, had served alongside his father in the Royal Canadian Air Force, and Dick later obtained Canadian citizenship through his maternal heritage.

In 1958, the family moved to Denver, where Dick attended Westminster High School. He ran cross country and won the state championship in extemporaneous speaking in both his sophomore and junior years.

Dick attended Ripon College in Wisconsin on a speech and debate scholarship, earning an A.B. degree in Political Science and Speech. He went on to law school at the University of Colorado, graduating in 1970. Deeply intellectually curious and a lifelong believer in higher education, he later earned an M.A. in Speech Communication from the University of Northern Colorado and an M.A. in Political Science from the University of Colorado Denver.

In January 1973, Dick was assigned to the Judge Advocate General Corps in South Korea, where he served as head prosecutor for the Second Army Division. He returned to the United States two years later and was stationed at Fort Carson, providing legal advice to service members. His active duty concluded in December 1975.

Dick began his civil and criminal law practice in 1976, developing expertise in constitutional and civil rights law, among many other areas. Throughout his career, he was committed to serving those without access to legal representation, taking on pro bono cases and volunteering with the ACLU of Colorado.

In 1984, Governor Richard Lamm appointed Dick as a district court judge in Adams County. While serving in the Seventeenth Judicial District, he became the juvenile court judge and primarily handled probate and mental health dockets. He served as President of the Colorado Juvenile Judges Association for five years and was especially proud of his role in rewriting the Colorado Children’s Code, enacted into law in 1987.

In 1991, Dick was appointed as a United States Magistrate Judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. During his eight years on the bench, he handled criminal matters, pro se prisoner cases, and settlement conferences.

After leaving the court, Dick founded the Legal Resolution Center in 1999, establishing a highly regarded arbitration and mediation practice. He mediated and arbitrated hundreds of civil cases, including commercial disputes, professional negligence, personal injury, and domestic matters. He also served as a special master in Montez v. Romer, adjudicating hundreds of claims brought by prisoners alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Dick was licensed to practice law in Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, Illinois, and the District of Columbia. He taught continuing legal education seminars throughout Colorado, including courses on the Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct. He retired in 2021, fifty years after becoming an attorney. He loved being a lawyer and received numerous awards and commendations during his career.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Dick was known for his extraordinary kindness. He treated everyone with respect and generosity, whether a colleague, a litigant, a friend, or a stranger. He listened carefully, gave his time freely, and believed deeply in fairness, dignity, and compassion. Many people felt seen and supported by him, often during difficult moments in their lives.

Outside of his professional life, Dick devoted his time to teaching, mentoring, and staying physically active. In the 1990s and 2000s, he founded speech and debate teams at Foothills Academy and Peak to Peak High School. His Peak to Peak students affectionately called him “Saint Borchers” in recognition of his tireless mentorship and support. A devoted runner, Dick ran nearly every day before work, completed several half and full marathons, and continued running for as long as his body allowed.

An avid reader, Dick subscribed to dozens of magazines and was always eager to learn something new. He taught himself Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Italian, and traveled to five continents.

Dick married Hilary Holland, also an attorney, in 1985. Above all, he was devoted to his family and took great pride in being a present, engaged husband and father to his children, Chelsea and Gregory.

Predeceased by his parents and his younger brother George, Dick is deeply missed by his beloved wife, daughter, son, sister Kit Gustafson, and all who knew him. Contributions in his memory may be made to the ACLU of Colorado, the Parkinson’s Association of the Rockies, or HCA HealthOne Hospice - Mountain Ridge.