Meet Colorado’s Supreme Court Justices: The Power Players Behind the Gavel

The Colorado Supreme Court comprises seven justices, each bringing a unique background and legal expertise to the bench. Below is an overview of the current justices, including their positions, brief biographies, hometowns, legal education, and appointing authorities.

1. Chief Justice Monica M. Márquez

• Position: Chief Justice
• Biography: Born on April 20, 1969, in Austin, Texas, Justice Márquez was raised in Grand Junction, Colorado. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from Stanford University and her Juris Doctor from Yale Law School. Before her appointment to the Supreme Court, she served as Deputy Attorney General in Colorado.
• Appointed by: Governor Bill Ritter (D) in 2010

2. Justice Brian D. Boatright

• Position: Associate Justice
• Biography: Born on June 16, 1962, in Golden, Colorado, Justice Boatright received his undergraduate degree from Westminster College and his Juris Doctor from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Prior to his Supreme Court appointment, he served as a District Court Judge in Jefferson County.
• Appointed by: Governor John Hickenlooper (D) in 2011

3. Justice William W. Hood III

• Position: Associate Justice
• Biography: Justice Hood was born in 1963 in Denver, Colorado. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from Syracuse University and his Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law. Before joining the Supreme Court, he was a District Court Judge in the 2nd Judicial District.
• Appointed by: Governor John Hickenlooper (D) in 2013

4. Justice Richard L. Gabriel

• Position: Associate Justice
• Biography: Born on March 3, 1962, in Brooklyn, New York, Justice Gabriel completed his undergraduate studies at Yale University and obtained his Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He previously served on the Colorado Court of Appeals.
• Appointed by: Governor John Hickenlooper (D) in 2015

5. Justice Melissa Hart

• Position: Associate Justice
• Biography: Justice Hart was born in 1969 in Denver, Colorado. She graduated from Harvard University with a Bachelor of Arts and earned her Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. Prior to her appointment, she was a professor at the University of Colorado Law School.
• Appointed by: Governor John Hickenlooper (D) in 2017

6. Justice Carlos A. Samour, Jr.

• Position: Associate Justice
• Biography: Born in 1963 in El Salvador, Justice Samour immigrated to the United States and settled in Colorado. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Colorado Boulder and his Juris Doctor from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. He previously served as a District Court Judge in the 18th Judicial District.
• Appointed by: Governor John Hickenlooper (D) in 2018

7. Justice Maria E. Berkenkotter

• Position: Associate Justice
• Biography: Justice Berkenkotter was born in 1962 in New York City, New York. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Western Michigan University and her Juris Doctor from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Before her Supreme Court appointment, she served as a District Court Judge in the 20th Judicial District.
• Appointed by: Governor Jared Polis (D) in 2020

What about this court’s work product?

In December 2023, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that former President Donald Trump was constitutionally ineligible to appear on the state’s primary ballot. The court’s decision was based on Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which disqualifies individuals who have engaged in insurrection from holding public office. This unprecedented 4-3 decision marked the first time a court found a presidential candidate ineligible under this clause. (CNN)

However, in March 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously overturned the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision, ruling that individual states do not have the authority to disqualify federal candidates under the 14th Amendment’s insurrection clause. (BBC)