Colorado Supreme Court announces court vacancy

The Colorado Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission will meet on Feb. 2 and 3, 2026, at the Ralph L. Carr Judicial Center, 2 E. 14th Ave. in Denver,  to interview and select nominees for appointment by the governor to the Colorado Supreme Court.

The vacancy will be created by the retirement of the Honorable Melissa Hart. The vacancy will occur on Jan. 5, 2026.

To be eligible for appointment to fill the vacancy, the applicant must be a qualified elector of the state of Colorado and must have been admitted to the practice of law in Colorado for five years. The current annual salary for this position is $221,302.09. The initial term of office of a Supreme Court justice is a provisional term of two years; thereafter, the incumbent justice, if retained by the voters, has a term of 10 years. 

Application forms are available from the office of the ex officio chair of the nominating commission, Chief Justice Monica Márquez, or from the Supreme Court clerk, Cheryl Stevens, 2 E. 14th Ave. in Denver. Applications are also available on the court’s home page at coloradojudicial.gov/careers/judge-opportunities.

The completed application must be emailed to the address listed in the instructions below by noon on Jan. 23, 2026. Late applications will not be considered. Any person wishing to suggest a candidate to fill the vacancy may do so by letter to be submitted to any member of the nominating commission, with a copy to the ex officio chair, no later than noon on Jan. 16, 2026.

Applicants should be prepared to be notified about interview slots by 4 p.m. on Jan. 30, 2026, and should block off their calendars in advance for the interview dates on Feb. 2 and 3, 2026.

The members of the Supreme Court Nominating Commission are: Peter Gould, of Boulder; Lisa Kaufmann, of Lyons; Daneya Esgar, of Pueblo; Steve ErkenBrack, of Grand Junction; Patrick O’Rourke, of Highlands Ranch; Dr. Paul Wiggins, of Peyton; John Suthers, of Colorado Springs; Marco Chayet, of Centennial; Janet Buckner, of Aurora; Alejandra Major, of Lakewood; Edwin Perlmutter, of Arvada; Eva Henry, of Thornton; Jerome DeHerrera, of Westminster; Alvina Vasquez, of Wheat Ridge; and Ageno Otii and David Powell, both of Denver.