Jackson sworn in on federal bench

November 8, 2011

Colorado: On Friday, November 4, former Colorado district judge, R. Brooke Jackson was publicly sworn in as a U.S. district judge to the United States District Court for the District of Colorado. The swearing in marks the end of a long journey that began with the recommendation of Judge Jackson to President Obama by Sens. Mark Udall and Michael Bennet. The lengthy process of federal judicial confirmation affected the District of Colorado more than most due to having two open vacancies at any given time in the last four years. Despite bipartisan support from the Democratic senators who recommended him and the Republican Attorney General John Suthers, Judge Jackson's confirmation process took two years from his original recommendation. Judge Jackson joked about the issue saying, "One of my friends asked me after the Senate confirmed my nomination, 'Aren't you a little old to start a career like this?' I said, 'I wasn't old when I started.'"

Judge Jackson thanked his wife for helping through the confirmation process and also thanked Sen. Udall for his continued support. Sen. Udall commented at the ceremony, saying, "When Senator Bennet and I met with Judge Jackson we were impressed with his persona and his history on the bench. It was the way in which the judge handled the grueling confirmation process that we knew we picked the right person."