After serving as the Chief Trial Deputy for the Colorado State Public Defender’s Office for two years, he was appointed to the Boulder County District Court in 1973, serving primarily in a civil division until 1983, when he was appointed to the Colorado Supreme Court. In 1985, Neighbors was elected Deputy Chief Justice of the Colorado Supreme Court. Neighbors has long been an advocate of judicial education and legal professionalism as demonstrated by his long-standing relationship with the National Institute for Trial Advocacy as a teaching team leader and member. He has taught trial advocacy at Harvard, the University of Denver, the University of Colorado and New Mexico law schools. Neighbors and Justice William H. Erickson have written two books on constitutional criminal law and procedure.