The “Firsts”
A Reflection on the Formidable First Female Jurists of Colorado’s Judiciary
November 2024
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In April 1891, Mary Sternberg Thomas applied to the Colorado bar alongside her husband.1 While her husband was immediately added to the roll of attorneys, her own application languished, even though she had submitted every piece of required documentation.2 She then petitioned the Colorado Supreme Court to determine her right to practice law in the state.3 In its September 1891 opinion, the Court granted her petition, stating, “We have no disposition to postpone falling into line with the supreme court of the United States and other enlightened tribunals throughout the country, that have finally, voluntarily, or in obedience to statutory injunction, discarded the criterion of sex, and opened the door of the profession to women as well as men.”4 With this decision, Thomas became the first woman admitted to the Colorado bar, and Colorado became the 25th state to admit women to the practice of law.5
But progress for women in the Colorado bar and judiciary moved slowly. Indeed, it would be another century before a woman would assume the highly esteemed role of chief justice of the very court that—recognizing Thomas’s tenacity—had opened its doors to her.6
After celebrating Women’s History Month earlier this year, we became motivated to document the accomplishments of Colorado’s pioneering female jurists. While it took us some months to complete this project, we felt it was a fitting way to recognize the advancement and equality of women in our society. And now we’re excited to share our research with you. So, please join us in celebrating Colorado’s “firsts”—the trailblazing female jurists who paved the way for a generation of women to come.7
The “Firsts” in the Election Era
Several women held Colorado judgeships in the early 20th century, but they were mainly positions that did not require admittance to the bar, such as justice of the peace or county judge.8 The first such woman appears to be Ida L. Gregory, who served as an assistant judge on the Denver Juvenile Court beginning in 1903.9 Judge Gregory was first hired by Benjamin Barr Lindsey, judge of the Denver Juvenile Court, as a probation officer.10 A few years later, Judge Gregory became a referee, and later an assistant judge on the court, all while serving as the court clerk.11 Through Judge Lindsey’s efforts, Colorado became the first state to pass legislation authorizing female judges.12
In 1911, Lydia B. Tague became the first female county court judge on record after assuming her husband’s role as Eagle County judge upon his death.13 Though Judge Tague had no formal legal training, voters elected her to the position in 1912 and again for two more terms.14 According to a February 24, 1911, issue of the Eagle Valley Enterprise, “No other county in the state can boast of a woman as county judge and we should all be proud of this record. Mrs. Tague thoroughly understands the duties of the office and will make an excellent official.”15 During her tenure on the bench, Judge Tague developed a reputation for being an “ardent enforcer” of Prohibition-era laws.16 A couple decades later, Helen Hurlburt was appointed as a county judge by the Ouray Board of County Commissioners in similar fashion after the incumbent county judge became ill and could not complete his term.17
Irena Ingham McGarry was the first female district court judge in Colorado.18 She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Colorado and was one of two women in her 1924 graduating class at the University of Denver College of Law.19 In 1938, Judge Ingham McGarry was appointed to fill a vacancy left by the death of a district court judge in the 4th Judicial District. In his letter of appointment, Governor Teller Ammons remarked, “So far as I can ascertain, you are the first lady to occupy such a position in the state of Colorado. It gives me pleasure to have the opportunity to appoint a lady of your character and qualifications.”20 But ever cognizant of a woman’s slim chances of being elected to a district court judgeship, Judge Ingham McGarry chose not to run for reelection at the end of her term.21 Over 30 years would pass before another woman was appointed as a Colorado district court judge, and 50 years would pass before a woman was again appointed in the 4th Judicial District.22
In the meantime, women throughout the state followed the way paved by Judge Tague to county court judgeship. In the 1940s, Gladys C. Triplett of Douglas County23 and Marie S. Holloway of Garfield County24 assumed roles as county court judges. The 1950s saw the addition of Margaret Tekavee of Teller County,25 Anna Patten of Montezuma County,26 Flora M. McNamara of Jackson County,27 Martha A. Nelson of Mineral County,28 May Norman of Rio Blanco County,29 and Helen D. Hicks of Dolores County30 to the county court bench. While some women in this era found success running for their judicial positions, it was common for a woman to gain her position via appointment to fill a vacancy left after the death or illness of the preceding male judge (often, her husband).
The “Firsts” in the Merit Selection Era
In 1966, elections for judicial officers were replaced by the merit selection system, in which judicial nominating committees submit nominees to the governor for appointment.31 It was during this era that Zita Weinshienk became the first female Denver County Court judge, and later the first female Denver District Court judge.32 Judge Weinshienk graduated from Harvard Law School in the late 1950s at a time when women accounted for only 3.5% of the Colorado bar.33 Judge Weinshienk presided over one of the first televised trials in the 1960s, and the representation of a woman on the bench inspired a generation of female lawyers after her.34 President Jimmy Carter later appointed Judge Weinshienk to the federal bench, where she served from 1979 to 2011.35 Judge Weinshienk’s family described her as determined, and her colleagues knew her as a fair judge who “ran a tight ship.”36
The 1960s saw even more women assuming the role of county court judge: Frances G. Richards of Archuleta County,37 Mary Thurman of San Miguel County,38 Maurine M. Hallock of Adams County,39 Thelma S. Finley of Saguache County,40 Bertha L. Green of San Juan County,41 Mary P. Johnston of Pitkin County,42 and Frances H. Schalow of Fremont County.43
Colorado Court of Appeals and Supreme Court “Firsts”
In 1974, Aurel Kelly became the first female judge on the Colorado Court of Appeals. Judge Kelly attended Whitman College and Columbia Law School.44 After working in various positions in the private and public sectors while raising her family, Judge Kelly accepted a full-time position in the Colorado Attorney General’s office in 1968.45 In July 1974, Judge Kelly was appointed to the court of appeals bench, along with three male judges, when the court expanded from six judges to ten.46 During her tenure, Judge Kelly developed a reputation as an extraordinary writer, authoring concise and direct opinions that were used as training material for law clerks.47 In 1988, Judge Kelly became the first female chief judge of the court of appeals.48 In that role, Judge Kelly prioritized the importance of efficient and expeditious justice across all levels of the judicial department.49
The Colorado Supreme Court did not see its first female justice, Jean E. Dubofsky, until 1979.50 Justice Dubofsky received a bachelor’s degree at Stanford University and a law degree at Harvard Law School.51 She graduated from Harvard in 1967 at a time when women comprised less than 5% of the student body.52 Justice Dubofsky spent her early legal career working in several legal aid offices.53 During that time, she litigated cases involving the ability of women to receive a credit card in their own name and the ability of girls to play organized baseball in Denver parks.54 Justice Dubofsky became Colorado’s deputy attorney general in 1975 and remained in that role until her 1979 judicial appointment.55 After her tenure on the Supreme Court bench, Justice Dubofsky returned to private practice and served as lead counsel in the landmark case Romer v. Evans, 517 U.S. 620 (1996).56
In the same year as Justice Dubofsky’s appointment, Stephanie Seymour became the first woman appointed to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.57
Mary Mullarkey was the second woman appointed to the Colorado Supreme Court and its first female chief justice. Chief Justice Mullarkey attended St. Norbert College and Harvard Law School.58 She would go on to lead the attorney general’s appellate section before becoming the state’s solicitor general.59 In 1987, Governor Roy Romer appointed her as a justice on the Colorado Supreme Court.60 Chief Justice Mullarkey remarked that “1987 was a significant year for women on the Supreme Court” because it was the same year that the next two women who would become Supreme Court justices, Rebecca Love Kourlis and Nancy E. Rice, were appointed as district court judges in the 14th and 2nd Judicial Districts, respectively.61 Chief Justice Mullarkey was selected by her colleagues to serve as the chief justice of the Supreme Court in 1998, a role she held for 12 years.62 Chief Justice Mullarkey accomplished the following during her tenure: creating a public information officer position, providing a path for advance notice to the parties of an opinion’s release, revamping CRCP 16.1 and the attorney discipline process, creating courthouse self-help centers, reducing the time that parental termination cases languished in the court system, and creating the Colorado Office of the Child’s Representative.63 She was also instrumental in getting the Ralph Carr building built.
The 1970s was also a significant decade for female jurists throughout the rest of the state. During that decade, two women took their place as the first female district court judges in their districts: Dorothy Binder of the 17th Judicial District64 and Joyce Steinhardt of the 18th Judicial District.65 In the county courts, Susan I. Broyles of Conejos County,66 Marsha B. Yeager of Boulder County,67 Marilyn C. Martin of El Paso County,68 Joann K. Neal of Moffat County,69 Linda D. Donnelly of Morgan County,70 and Donna Marie Kirby of Elbert County71 became the first female county judges on record. Notably, in 1978, the Colorado Women’s Bar Association was founded, providing the first professional association for female jurists and attorneys in the state.72
First Female Chief Judges in the District Courts
A chief judge is the administrative head of all district and county courts within a judicial district.73 In 1987, Joyce Steinhardt of the 18th Judicial District74 and Grace Merlo of the 22nd Judicial District75 became the first two female chief judges in Colorado.
Chief Judge Steinhardt attended law school later in life, after devoting 12 years to raising her children.76 She spent the next 10 years of her career practicing family law, teaching family law courses, and authoring several articles about juvenile law and a government pamphlet on the legal status of stay-at-home mothers.77 Chief Judge Steinhardt opened the door for many others by becoming the first female district court judge, and later, the first female chief judge in the 18th Judicial District.78 She was honored by her peers as a leader in family law, “elevat[ing] the standards of practice for both the Bench and the Bar” at a time when many judges avoided taking domestic relations dockets.79 The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers honored her in 1995 with the Distinguished Jurist Award for her achievements in the field of family law.80
Chief Judge Merlo was one of two women in her law school class at San Francisco Law School.81 After a brief stint in New York City, Chief Judge Merlo became the first female deputy public defender in San Bernadino County, California.82 After marrying a resident of Cortez, Colorado, and then moving to Colorado, Chief Judge Merlo became the first female public defender in Montezuma County.83 She later opened a law practice with her husband: Merlo and Merlo.84 Chief Judge Merlo was appointed in 1987, replacing her predecessor as the only district court judge (and, necessarily, the chief judge) of the 22nd Judicial District.85
Other Notable Female Jurists of the 1980s
In the 1980s, four more women assumed the status of district court judge: Patti O’Rourke of the 10th Judicial District,86 Ruthanne Polidori of the 1st Judicial District,87 Rebecca Kourlis of the 14th Judicial District,88 and Roxanne Bailin of the 20th Judicial District.89 Judge Bailin would later become chief judge in that district.90
The following women became the first female county court judges on record in their respective counties: Jewell K. Smith of Summit County,91 Linda T. Palmieri of Jefferson County,92 Patricia A. Hall of La Plata County,93 Marguerite T. Langstaff of Arapahoe County,94 JoAnna L. Lathrop of Crowley County,95 Adele K. Anderson of Pueblo County,96 and Pattie P. Swift of Costilla County.97 While several women were both the first female district court judge and the first female chief judge in their respective districts, Judge Swift appears to be the only “triple-threat” on record: a first female county court judge, district court judge, and chief judge in the judicial district.98
Female Jurists of the 1990s
The 1990s saw Judge Bailin, Connie Peterson of the 2nd Judicial District, and Rebecca Kourlis of the 14th Judicial District assume chief judge positions in the district courts. Judge Kourlis would later become a Colorado Supreme Court justice.
Connie Peterson was the first female chief judge of the Denver District Court.99 Before attending law school, Chief Judge Peterson was a high school teacher.100 She received her law degree from the University of Colorado and spent the next 10 years gaining experience as a public defender, district attorney, assistant attorney general, and litigator in private practice.101 Chief Judge Peterson was appointed as a district court judge in 1985 and was known by attorneys and colleagues alike to be competent and conscientious.102 After retiring from the bench, Chief Judge Peterson established herself as an esteemed mediator and arbitrator.103
Justice Kourlis received her undergraduate and law degrees from Stanford University.104 She practiced law in Craig, Colorado, for nine years before being appointed to the 14th Judicial District bench.105 Within four years of becoming a district court judge, Justice Kourlis was named chief judge of her judicial district. During her time on the district court bench, Justice Kourlis developed a reputation for being fair, patient, and hardworking.106 In addition to several court wide initiatives, she developed a Gender and Justice Committee aimed at promoting fairness toward women in the court system.[107] In 1995, Justice Kourlis became the third woman to sit on the Colorado Supreme Court. Justice Mullarkey remarked, “Not only did I enjoy the companionship of having another woman on the Court, but she was a terrific colleague—smart, hard-working, and full of ideas. We found that we shared a passion for improving the state court system.”108 Kourlis served on the court for 11 years before resigning to found the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System at the University of Denver.109
Also in the 1990s, Amanda D. Bailey of the 21st Judicial District110 and Julie G. Marshall of the 11th Judicial District111 became district court judges. C. Jean Stewart became the presiding judge of Denver Probate Court, a position she held for 16 years.112 County courts saw the addition of four more women to the bench: Catherine M. Heckel of Logan County,113 Carol M. Haller of Weld County,114 Christine A. Carney of Larimer County,115 and Bette R. Nickell of Montrose County.116
21st Century “Firsts”
While no women assumed the role of first chief judge in the 2000s, many women took their place as the first female district court judges on record, according to sources available at the time of this article’s publication, in their respective districts. Including Judge Swift, those women are Jolene C. Blair of the 8th Judicial District,117 Leslie J. Gerbracht of the 3rd Judicial District,118 Denise K. Lynch of the 9th Judicial District,119 Karen A. Romeo of the 5th Judicial District,120 and Julie C. Hoskins of the 19th Judicial District.121 In the county courts, Sandra K. Honath of Delta County,122 Mary C. Hoak of Grand County,123 Ellen Haskins-Trujillo of Huerfano County,124 Amy E. Bockman of Broomfield County,125 Rachel J. Olguin-Fresquez of Clear Creek County,126 Gretchen B. Larson of Mesa County,127 and Sara M. Wagers-Johnson of Yuma County128 joined the bench.
The 2010s was a powerful decade for female leadership in Colorado. In addition to Judge Swift and Judge Gerbracht,129 Deborah Eyler of the 10th Judicial District130 and Emily Anderson of the 17th Judicial District131 became chief judges. Since 2020, Judge Hoskins has become chief judge of the 19th Judicial District132 and Susan J. Blanco has become the first female chief judge of the 8th Judicial District.133
District court additions in the last 15 years include Mary E. Deganhart of the 7th Judicial District,134 Suzanne F. Carlson of the 6th Judicial District,135 Tarryn L. Johnson of the 15th Judicial District,136 and Stephanie M.G. Gagliano of the 13th Judicial District.137 County court additions include Debra M. Gunkel of Baca County,[138] Kimbra L. Killin of Phillips County,139 Tawna J. Holmstedt of Sedgwick County,140 Barbara A. Zollars of Rio Grande County,141 Amanda Hunter of Custer County,142 Kelly S. Hansen of Washington County,143 Ashley M. Burgemeister of Gunnison County,144 Diana C. Bull of Chaffee County,145 Deni E. Eiring of Cheyenne County,146 and Erin M. Rowe Wilson of Routt County.147
In February 2024, Erin L. Sokol became the 4th Judicial District’s first female chief judge.148 Chief Judge Sokol attended the University of Michigan for her undergraduate studies and Georgetown University Law Center for law school.149 Before her appointment to the district court bench, Chief Judge Sokol worked in private practice in Washington DC and Colorado Springs.150 She was appointed to the district court in 2017.151 Chief Judge Sokol has been described as having “an exceedingly high level of diligence and self-reflection,” and she spends her free time volunteering inside and outside the legal community.152
Chief Judge Sokol is the most recent “first,” but she certainly will not be the last. As of the writing of this article, we could find no sources indicating that a woman has ever served on the bench in 11 Colorado counties and one judicial district. Nine judicial districts await the first woman to serve as chief judge.153
Conclusion
Each of these women bravely took a risk, set a high bar, or paved a bumpy road in the hope that others might have a smoother ride. Just like Judge Weinshienk’s televised trial inspired a generation of female lawyers to see themselves in a black robe administering justice, so have all these first women jurists removed obstacles for women who came after them. This trend is demonstrated by the recent matriculation of female law students in Colorado and across the nation in numbers that match, and often exceed, their male counterparts. While we limited our scope for purposes of this article to the first female judges, justices, and chief judges across Colorado, we hope that this article inspires further research into the first Colorado jurists who hold other identities.
Leading is a tremendous responsibility and requires one to make difficult decisions that do not always garner praise. It takes a special person to want to go where no woman has gone before. May we continue to empower them to do so.
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Notes
1. Erickson et al., “Six of the Greatest: Mary Sternberg Thomas,” 23 Colo. Law. 1493, 1493 (July 1994).
2. Erickson, Early Justice and the Formation of the Colorado Bar 120 (CBA-CLE 2008).
3. Erickson, supra note 1 at 1493.
4. In re Thomas, 27 P. 707, 708 (Colo. 1891).
5. Celeste, “A Brief Herstory of Colorado Women Trailblazers in the Law,” 32 Colo. Law. 29, 29 (Dec. 2003).
6. Mullarkey, “A Brief History of Women on the Colorado Supreme Court,” 41 Colo. Law. 27, 31 (Oct. 2012).
7. This article does not comprehensively include justices of the peace, referees, magistrates, or any other judicial position apart from county court judge, district court judge, chief judge, court of appeals judge, and Supreme Court justice. Regarding the first women to hold district and county judgeships, records are decentralized and incomplete; thus, this article lists the first female district and county judges whose appointments are supported by records available to date and included in citations herein. The water courts established by the Water Right Determination and Administration Act of 1969 are outside this article’s scope.
8. Erickson, supra note 2 at 134–35.
9. Mullarkey, supra note 6 at 27. See Erickson, supra note 2 at 134.
10. See Erickson, supra note 2 at 134.
11. Id.
12. Id.
13. Id. at 135; Celeste, supra note 5 at 29.
14. Erickson, supra note 2 at 135.
15. Heicher, “Eagle County’s Tee-Totaling Judge,” Vail Daily (Oct. 11, 2018), https://www.vaildaily.com/news/eagle-countys-tee-totaling-judge.
16. Id.
17. “News of Our Neighbors,” Steamboat Pilot 3 (Mar. 22, 1935) (stating that Judge Hurlburt had been appointed to the bench by the Ouray county commissioners).
18. Coleman and Thompson, “Six of the Greatest: Irena Ingham McGarry,” 30 Colo. Law. 11, 21 (July 2001).
19. Id.; Celeste, supra note 5 at 29.
20. Coleman and Thompson, supra note 18 at 22.
21. Id.
22. Id.; Mullarkey, supra note 6 at 27.
23. “Commissioners Appoint Mrs. Gladys C. Triplett as County Judge,” Record-J. of Douglas Cnty. 1 (June 20, 1941). See also Scheuber+Darden Architects, “Colorado Cultural Resource Survey: 208 N. Lewis St.” 4 (2017), https://www.crgov.com/DocumentCenter/View/17634/208-N-Lewis-St?bidId=.
24. Glenwood Springs Historic Preservation Commission, “City of Glenwood Springs, Colorado: Historically Landmarked and Significant Places” 15 (2015), https://www.cogs.us/DocumentCenter/View/454/Landmark-booklet-2015-?bidId=.
25. Liebman, Shark Tales: True (and Amazing) Stories From America’s Lawyers 114 (Simon & Schuster 2000); Celeste and Anderson, “Six of the Greatest: Margaret T. Tekavee,” 32 Colo. Law. 11, 15–18 (July 2003); 1961 Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory 3021 (1961).
26. County Officers, 1956 Colo. Sess. Laws 14, 15; “Ray W. Patten,” Ertel Funeral Home, https://www.ertelfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Ray-W-Patten?obId=2125933.
27. Office of Colorado Secretary of State George J. Baker, “Abstract of Votes Cast” 30 (1958).
28. County Officers, 1957 Colo. Sess. Laws 14, 15; “Martha A. Nelson,” Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/59725985/martha-a-nelson#source (showing photographs of what may be Judge Nelson’s grave with a plaque stating that she was “Mineral County’s only female county judge from 1900 to 2000”).
29. “News of Neighboring Communities,” Craig Empire-Courier 15 (Apr. 10, 1958); “News of Neighboring Communities,” Craig Empire-Courier 3 (Dec. 27, 1962).
30. County Officers, 1959 Colo. Sess. Laws 14, 15.
31. Mullarkey, supra note 6 at 27; Colo. Const. art. VI, § 24.
32. Bradbury, “Pioneering Colorado Judge, Zita Weinshienk, Dies at 89,” Den. Post (Oct. 13, 2022), https://www.denverpost.com/2022/10/13/zita-weinshienk-dies-colorado-judge-woman-pioneering; Celeste, supra note 5 at 29, 30.
33. Celeste, supra note 5 at 29, 30.
34. Mullarkey, supra note 6 at 32 n.8; American Bar Association Senior Lawyers Division, “Women Trailblazers in the Law: Oral History of Zita Leeson Weinshienk” 17–18 (2009).
35. Bradbury, supra note 32.
36. Id.
37. Office of Colorado Secretary of State George J. Baker, “Abstract of Votes Cast” 34 (1960).
38. Id.
39. “County Readies Court Reform Change Jan. 12,” Westminster J. 3 (Dec. 24, 1964).
40. County Officers, 1965 Colo. Sess. Laws 15, 24.
41. Office of Colorado Secretary of State Byron A. Anderson, “Abstract of Votes Cast” 18 (1964).
[42]. County Officers, 1969 Colo. Sess. Laws 14, 20.
43. Office of Colorado Secretary of State Byron A. Anderson, “Abstract of Votes Cast” 13 (1968).
44. Smith, “Outstanding Lawyers in Colorado History: Aurel M. Kelly,” 41 Colo. Law. 43, 43 (July 2012).
45. Id. at 44.
46. Id.
47. Id.
48. Mullarkey, supra note 6 at 27 n.12.
49. Smith, supra note 44 at 45.
50. Mullarkey, supra note 6 at 28 n.14.
51. Id.
52. Id.
53. Id.
54. Id.
55. Id.
56. “Jean Dubofsky,” Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame, https://www.cogreatwomen.org/project/jean-dubofsky. In Romer v. Evans, 517 U.S. 620, 624 (1996), the US Supreme Court held that Amendment 2 of the Colorado Constitution, which prohibited legislative, executive, and judicial action at the state and local level designed to protect LGBTQ+ people from discrimination, violated the Equal Protection Clause.
57. Celeste, supra note 5 at 29, 30.
58. Mullarkey, supra note 6 at 29.
59. Id.
60. Id.
61. Id.; Celeste, supra note 5 at 29, 31.
62. Mullarkey, supra note 6 at 31.
63. Id. at 32.
64. “Dorothy Binder: 1923–2017,” Legacy.com, https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/denverpost/name/dorothy-binder-obituary?id=14177782 (published by The Denver Post on May 14, 2017).
65. Associated Press, “Woman to Sit in District Court,” Douglas Cnty. News-Press 2 (Sept. 20, 1979).
66. Office of Colorado Secretary of State Byron A. Anderson, “Abstract of Votes Cast” 12 (1972).
67. “East High to Honor Its 2018 Hall of Fame Inductees Saturday,” Bakersfield Californian (Feb. 6, 2018), https://www.bakersfield.com/entertainment/east-high-to-honor-its-hall-of-fame-inductees-saturday/article_1e0721e8-0bb8-11e8-823e-1ba91361d3c1.html.
68. “Marilyn Martin Obituary,” Legacy.com, https://obits.gazette.com/us/obituaries/gazette/name/marilyn-martin-obituary?id=23705663 (published by The Gazette on Aug. 10, 2008); Office of Colorado Secretary of State Mary Estill Buchanan, “Abstract of Votes Cast” 12 (1976).
69. “New Assistant Judge Appointed,” Empire-Courier at 1 (June 15, 1977).
70. Judge Donnelly served as an associate county judge alongside the Honorable Edgar H. Brandenburg, county judge of Morgan County. See Office of Colorado Secretary of State Mary Estill Buchanan, supra note 68 at 16; Fitz, “Who’s New: Instructors,” Communique (Sept. 2, 2011), https://communique.uccs.edu/?p=4482.
71. “Kirby, Donna 1990 Evaluation,” Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, https://judicialperformance.colorado.gov/kirby-donna-1990-evaluation. See also “Obituary of Donna Marie Kirby,” Colorado Ponderosa Valley Funeral Services, Afterall, https://www.afterall.com/obituaries/DonnaKirby2.
72. Jarzobski and Veitch, “Introduction: Women and Men in the Profession Should Read This Issue,” 41 Colo. Law. 25, 25 (Oct. 2012).
73. CJD 95-01, Authority and Responsibility of Chief Judges 1 (amended Sept. 2020).
74. DiNucci, “18th Judicial District Vacancies Now” at 1, Douglas Cnty. News-Press (Sept. 4, 1987). See also Associated Press, supra note 65 at 2 (Chief Judge Steinhardt became the 18th Judicial District’s first female district court judge in 1979).
75. Baker, “Legal Pioneer Grace Storey Merlo Dies at 90,” The Journal (Jul. 23, 2015), https://www.the-journal.com/articles/legal-pioneer-grace-storey-merlo-dies-at-90; Office of the State Court Administrator, “Annual Report of the Colorado Judiciary: July 1, 1986–June 30, 1987” 17 (1987) (noting that Judge Merlo was the only district court judge in the 22nd Judicial District upon her appointment, and that she replaced her predecessor as Chief Judge on January 13, 1987).
76. Crouse, “‘Homemaker’s Legal Rights’ Draws Big Crowd,” Broomfield Enterprise at 9 (Feb. 8, 1978).
77. “North Campus News,” Broomfield Enter. at 19 (Jan. 25, 1978); Crouse, supra note 76 at 9.
78. Associated Press, supra note 65 at 2.
79. Johnson, “In Praise of Those Who Choose Family Law,” 38 Colo. Law. 5, 6 (Nov. 2009); Kennerly, “Bar News,” 20 Colo. Law. ii, iv (May 1991).
80. O’Connor, “Bar News,” 24 Colo. Law. ii, iv (May 1995).
81. Baker, supra note 75.
82. Id.
83. Id.
84. Id.
85. Id.; Office of the State Court Administrator, supra note 75 at 17.
86. “O’Rourke Will Address USC Grads,” Pueblo Chieftain (Mar. 12, 1999), https://www.chieftain.com/story/special/1999/03/13/o-rourke-will-address-usc/8573298007.
87. District Judges, 1984 Colo. Sess. Laws 12, 12.
88. “Kourlis, Rebecca 1998 Evaluation,” Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, https://judicialperformance.colorado.gov/kourlis-rebecca-1998-evaluation.
89. Shields, “Boulder District Chief Judge Retiring; Applicants Sought for Vacancy,” Longmont Times-Call (May 14, 2013), https://www.timescall.com/2013/05/14/boulder-district-chief-judge-retiring-applicants-sought-for-vacancy; See also Cadette, “President’s Page,” Boulder Cnty. Bar Newsl. 5 (Feb. 2012), https://www.boulder-bar.org/resources/Documents/bcba_02_12.pdf.
90. Shields, supra note 89.
91. County Officers, 1980 Colo. Sess. Laws 15, 24.
92. “Jeffco’s First Woman Judge Sworn In,” Colo. Transcript 2 (Mar. 2, 1982).
93. Office of Colorado Secretary of State Natalie Meyer, “Abstract of Votes Cast” 24 (1982).
94. “Langstaff, Marguerite 1990 Evaluation,” Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, https://judicialperformance.colorado.gov/langstaff-marguerite-1990-evaluation.
95. Office of the State Court Administrator, supra note 75 at 30.
96. “Anderson, Adele 1992 Evaluation,” Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, https://judicialperformance.colorado.gov/anderson-adele-1992-evaluation.
97. Press Release, Colorado Judicial Branch, New Chief Judge Appointed in 12th Judicial District (Sept. 12, 2011).
98. Id.
99. Celeste, supra note 5 at 29, 31.
100. “Peterson, Connie 1994 Evaluation,” Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, https://judicialperformance.colorado.gov/peterson-connie-1994-evaluation.
101. Id.
102. Id.
103. CBA-CLE Faculty and Author Directory: Connie L. Peterson, https://cle.cobar.org/About/Faculty-Authors/Info/customercd/6795.
104. Mullarkey, supra note 6 at 30–31.
105. Louden, “Kourlis Named to Colorado High Court,” Steamboat Pilot 1A (June 1, 1995).
106. Id. at 1A, 12A.
107. Id. at 12A.
108. Mullarkey, supra note 6 at 31.
109. Id.
110. District Judges, 1991 Colo. Sess. Laws 17, 20; “Bailey, Amanda 1994 Evaluation,” Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, https://judicialperformance.colorado.gov/bailey-amanda-1994-evaluation; “Bailey, Amanda 2000 Evaluation,” Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, https://judicialperformance.colorado.gov/bailey-amanda-2000-evaluation.
111. Alexander, “Final Ruling: Judge Julie Marshall to Retire,” Cañon City Daily Rec. (Apr. 15, 2019), https://www.canoncitydailyrecord.com/2012/12/28/final-ruling-judge-julie-marshall-to-retire.
112. Olinger, “Denver’s Probate Judge Stepping Down After 16 Years,” Den. Post (Apr. 13, 2011), https://www.denverpost.com/2011/04/13/denvers-probate-judge-stepping-down-after-16-years.
113. Office of Colorado Secretary of State Donetta Davidson, “Abstract of Votes Cast 1997-1998-1999” 17 (1999).
114. “Haller, Carol 2000 Evaluation,” Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, https://judicialperformance.colorado.gov/haller-carol-2000-evaluation.
115. “This Week in Loveland History for June 25 to July 1, 2023,” Loveland Reporter-Herald (June 25, 2023), https://www.reporterherald.com/2023/06/25/this-week-in-loveland-history-for-june-25-to-july-1-2023; “Carney, Christine 2000 Evaluation,” Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation,” https://judicialperformance.colorado.gov/carney-christine-2000-evaluation.
116. “Nickell, Betty 2002 Evaluation,” Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, https://judicialperformance.colorado.gov/nickell-betty-2002-evaluation. According to the judicial district, Judge Nickel sat on the “Associate Court” in Nucla, 100 miles from the county seat. Laura Harvell, in 2022, was the first female judge in Montrose County proper.
117. “Blair, Jolene 2004 Evaluation,” Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, https://judicialperformance.colorado.gov/blair-jolene-2004-evaluation. Judge Blair lost a retention election in 2010 after an opposition campaign centered on her role as a prosecutor in the 1999 wrongful conviction of Timothy Masters. Associated Press, “Judges With Ties to Botched Case Appear Ousted,” Den. Post (Nov. 3, 2010), https://www.denverpost.com/2010/11/03/judges-with-ties-to-botched-case-appear-ousted.
118. “Gerbracht, Leslie 2010 Evaluation,” Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, https://judicialperformance.colorado.gov/gerbracht-leslie-2010-evaluation. See also “Meet Our District Judges: A Historical Timeline from 1877–Present,” Colorado Judicial Branch, https://www.courts.state.co.us/Courts/District/Custom.cfm?District_ID=3&Page_ID=823; Santistevan Jr., “Chief Judge Leslie Gerbracht Retirement Party,” World J. (Feb. 2, 2024), https://worldjournalnewspaper.com/chief-judge-leslie-gerbracht-retirement-party.
119. “Lynch, Denise 2020 Evaluation,” Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, https://judicialperformance.colorado.gov/lynch-denise-2020-evaluation.
120. “Dickson, Karen Romeo Named New 5th Judicial District Judge,” Vail Daily (Oct. 9, 2008), https://www.vaildaily.com/news/karen-romeo-named-new-5th-judicial-district-judge.
121. “Julie Hoskins—19th Judicial District Chief Judge,” Colorado Judicial Branch, https://www.courts.state.co.us/Bio.cfm?Employee_ID=475.
122. Colorado Judicial Branch, “FY 2001 Annual Statistical Report” 69 (2001).
123. Press Release, Colorado Judicial Branch, “Mary Hoak Appointed to Grand County Court Bench” (Sept. 3, 2002), https://www.courts.state.co.us/userfiles/File/Media/Judge_Appointments/2002/prsrel02-74.pdf.
124. Press Release, Colorado Judicial Branch, Ellen Haskins Trujillo Appointed to Huerfano County Court Bench (Jan. 10, 2005), https://www.courts.state.co.us/userfiles/File/Media/Judge_Appointments/2004/3jdhastrujiapt.pdf.
125. Dance, “Broomfield City Council Swears in New Municipal Judge,” Broomfield Enter. (Feb. 10, 2021), https://www.broomfieldenterprise.com/2021/02/10/broomfield-city-council-swears-in-new-municipal-judge.
126. Brovsky-Eaker, “Gov. Polis Appoints Rachel Olguin-Fresquez to the 5th Judicial District Court, Jeremy Chaffin to the 21st Judicial District Court,” Law Wk. Colo. (Oct. 26, 2022), https://www.lawweekcolorado.com/article/gov-polis-appoints-rachel-olguin-fresquez-to-the-5th-judicial-district-court-jeremy-chaffin-to-the-21st-judicial-district-court.
127. “Gretchen B. Larson—21st Judicial District Judge,” Colorado Judicial Branch, https://www.courts.state.co.us/Bio.cfm?Employee_ID=513.
128. “Wagers-Johnson, Sara 2010 Evaluation,” Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, https://judicialperformance.colorado.gov/wagers-johnson-sara-2010-evaluation.
129. Press Release, Colorado Judicial Branch, Gerbracht Appointed Chief Judge of the 3rd Judicial District (Dec. 3, 2018), on file at the Colorado Supreme Court Library. See also Santistevan, supra note 118; “Meet Our District Judges,” supra note 118 (noting that Judge Gerbracht was the first and only female district judge in the 3rd Judicial District from her appointment in 2006 through her retirement in 2023).
130. Press Release, Colorado Judicial Branch, “Judge Eyler Named Chief Judge and Judge Schwartz Named Water Court Judge in the 10th Judicial District” (Apr. 4, 2012), on file at the Colorado Supreme Court Library.
131. Press Release, Colorado Judicial Branch, Anderson Appointed Chief Judge of the 17th Judicial District (Apr. 9, 2019), on file at the Colorado Supreme Court Library.
132. “Julie Hoskins—19th Judicial District Chief Judge,” supra note 121.
133. Colorado Women’s Bar Association, “Annual Judicial Reception: Meet Our 2023 Judicial Excellence Honoree,” https://www.cwba.org/judicial-reception. See also Press Release, Colorado Judicial Branch, Susan Blanco Appointed Chief Judge of the 8th Judicial District (Oct. 23, 2020), https://www.courts.state.co.us/Media/release.cfm?id=1958.
134. “Deganhart, Mary 2020 Evaluation,” Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, https://judicialperformance.colorado.gov/deganhart-mary-2020-evaluation.
135. Press Release, Office of Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, Gov. Hickenlooper Appoints District Court Judge in La Plata, Archuleta and San Juan Counties (June 29, 2012), https://www.courts.state.co.us/userfiles/file/Media/Judge_Appointments/2012/JD06%20-%20Carlson.pdf.
136. Press Release, Office of Colorado Governor Jared Polis, Governor Jared Polis Appoints Jenny L. Lopez Filkins to Larimer County Court and Tarryn L. Johnson to the 15th Judicial District Court (Aug. 12, 2022), https://www.colorado.gov/governor/news/8631-governor-jared-polis-appoints-jenny-l-lopez-filkins-larimer-county-court-and-tarryn-l.
137. Press Release, Office of Colorado Governor Jared Polis, Gov. Polis Appoints New District Court Judge in the 13th Judicial District (June 7, 2019), https://www.colorado.gov/governor/news/gov-polis-appoints-new-district-court-judge-13th-judicial-district.
138. Press Release, Office of Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, Jr., Gov. Ritter Appoints Six New Judges (Dec. 27, 2010), https://www.courts.state.co.us/userfiles/file/Media/Judge_Appointments/2010/6%20Appts%2012-27-2010.pdf.
139. Press Release, Office of Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, Gov. Hickenlooper Appoints Phillips County Court Judge (May 13, 2014), https://www.courts.state.co.us/userfiles/file/Media/Judge_Appointments/2014/JD13%20Killin.pdf.
140. Press Release, Office of Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, Gov. Hickenlooper Appoints County Court Judge for Sedgwick County (Feb. 4, 2014), https://www.courts.state.co.us/userfiles/file/Media/Judge_Appointments/2014/JD13%20Holmstedt.pdf.
141. Press Release, Office of Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, Gov. Hickenlooper Appoints Barbara Zollars as Rio Grande County Court Judge in 12th Judicial District (Aug. 13, 2015), https://www.courts.state.co.us/userfiles/file/Media/Judge_Appointments/2015/JD12%20-%20Zollars.pdf.
142. Press Release, Office of Colorado Governor Jared Polis, Governor Jared Polis Makes County and District Court Judicial Appointments (June 29, 2022), https://www.colorado.gov/governor/news/8351-governor-jared-polis-makes-county-and-district-court-judicial-appointments.
143. Press Release, Office of Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, Gov. Hickenlooper Appoints Washington County Court Judge (Aug. 11, 2016), https://www.courts.state.co.us/userfiles/file/Media/Judge_Appointments/2016/JD13%20-%20Hansen.pdf.
144. Rourke, “First Woman Seated on County Bench,” Gunnison Country Times (Jan. 12, 2017), https://archive.gunnisontimes.com/news/first-woman-seated-county-bench. Some claim that Gertrude Aiken was the first female county judge in Gunnison, asserting she was appointed in 1936. This claim could be not supported by any sources on record. The abstract of votes cast in the Colorado 1936 primary and general elections, https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Results/Abstract/pdf/1900-1999/1936AbstractBook.pdf, does list a “Mrs. Gertrude Aiken” as the Gunnison County Court Clerk, however.
145. Press Release, Office of Colorado Governor Jared Polis, Governor Jared Polis Appoints Judge to Chaffee County Court in 11th JD (Sept. 16, 2020), https://www.courts.state.co.us/userfiles/file/Media/Judge_Appointments/2020/JD11%20-%20Bull.pdf.
146. Press Release, Office of Colorado Governor Jared Polis, Governor Jared Polis Appoints Deni Eiring to Fifteenth Judicial District Court (Feb. 9, 2022), https://www.colorado.gov/governor/news/7231-governor-jared-polis-appoints-deni-eiring-fifteenth-judicial-district-court. See also Colorado Judicial Department, “Judicial Diversity Outreach FY2022 Annual Legislative Report” 6 (2022).
147. Press Release, Office of Colorado Governor Jared Polis, Governor Jared Polis Appoints Erin M. Rowe Wilson to Routt County Court in the Fourteenth Judicial District (Feb. 18, 2022), https://www.colorado.gov/governor/news/7261-governor-jared-polis-appoints-erin-m-rowe-wilson-routt-county-court-fourteenth-judicial.
148. Press Release, Colorado Judicial Branch, Hon. Erin Sokol Appointed Chief Judge of 4th Judicial District (Jan. 4, 2024), https://www.courts.state.co.us/Media/release.cfm?id=2066.
149. Id.
150. Id.
151. “Sokol, Erin 2020 Evaluation,” Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, https://judicialperformance.colorado.gov/sokol-erin-2020-evaluation.
152. Id.
153. We do not include the forthcoming 23rd Judicial District in this analysis.