What began with a Craigslist advertisement offering discounted legal services in 2010 has evolved into one of Colorado’s most influential civil rights practices. After graduating from Boston University School of Law, Sarah Schielke moved to Colorado seeking a fresh start. Without connections or experience, she took an unconventional approach that would later reshape police accountability litigation.
By 2012, Schielke had established the Life and Liberty Law Office, specializing in criminal defense and civil rights cases. Her independence from traditional legal mentorship allowed her to develop innovative strategies, mainly by publicly releasing police body camera footage to bring attention to misconduct cases.
This strategy proved pivotal in the Karen Garner case, where she represented a woman with dementia who suffered injuries during a Loveland police arrest. Schielke’s release of the body camera footage in April 2021 brought national attention to the case, leading to criminal charges against two officers. Austin Hopp received five years in prison, while Daria Jalali served 45 days with three years probation. The case settled for $3 million, far exceeding the typical $100,000 settlement.
Now, Schielke is taking on Fort Collins Police Services with five lawsuits addressing alleged wrongful DUI arrests by former officer Jason Haferman. The cases reveal that more than 17 people were wrongfully arrested in a year, all later proven innocent through blood tests. The impact was devastating – victims lost jobs, missed promotions, and endured months of emotional trauma. Some parents even faced child protective services investigations simply because their children were present during the arrests.
Her investigation exposed significant departmental oversight failures. Supervisors never reviewed Haferman’s body camera footage despite his pattern of disabling or muting the camera in violation of Colorado law. When confronted with these issues, department leadership defended the arrests rather than addressing the problems, prompting Schielke to call for the chief’s resignation.
Personal tragedy has shaped her approach to justice. The loss of her father to cancer early in her career transformed her perspective, leading to her guiding principle that there are “two types of people: good people and good people in pain.” This understanding informs both her legal practice and personal philosophy.
A standout moment in her career came when she faced contempt charges for releasing body camera footage in Clear Creek County. Despite judicial pressure, she stood firm in her commitment to transparency, proudly framing the contempt citation and wearing a defiant t-shirt to the court declaring her First Amendment rights violated. The case ultimately settled for $7 million.
Her academic background includes graduating magna cum laude from Middlebury College with a psychology degree before attending law school on a full academic merit scholarship. These achievements laid the foundation for her success, and her selection recognized her as USA TODAY’s Women of the Year honoree for Colorado.
With support from her husband, who manages their home as a stay-at-home father, Schielke continues challenging police misconduct through innovative legal strategies. She emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and seeking guidance from experienced colleagues when facing challenges.
Through her groundbreaking approach to civil rights litigation, Schielke has secured justice for individual clients and driven systematic change in law enforcement accountability. Her work demonstrates how dedication to transparency and justice, combined with innovative thinking, can transform the landscape of civil rights advocacy while setting new standards for police accountability in Colorado.
