Susan Blanco
Susan Blanco is a judge of the Colorado Supreme Court. She assumed office on February 17, 2026. Her current term ends on January 9, 2029.
Jared Polis (D) appointed Blanco to the Colorado Supreme Court on February 17, 2026, to replace Melissa Hart (Nonpartisan).[1]
Biography
Blanco earned her bachelor's degree from Colorado State University and her J.D. from the University of Colorado School of Law. She has worked as a private practice attorney and the attorney for the Town of Timnath.[2]
Appointments
Colorado Supreme Court (2026-present)
On February 17, 2026, Governor Jared Polis (D) appointed Susan Blanco to the Colorado Supreme Court. Blanco replaces Justice Melissa Hart, who retired on January 5, 2026.[3] Blanco is Gov. Polis' (D) second nominee to the seven-member supreme court. She took office on the same date as her appointment.
In Colorado, state supreme court justices are selected through assisted appointment with a governor-controlled judicial nominating commission. Justices are appointed by the governor with the assistance of a commission with a majority of members selected by the governor. There are 10 states that use this selection method. To read more about the assisted appointment of judges, click here.
If a midterm vacancy occurs on the court, the seat is filled as it normally would be if the vacancy occurred at the end of a justice's term. A judicial nominating commission recommends to the governor three qualified candidates for an appellate court vacancy (two or three for a trial court vacancy), and the governor selects a successor from that list. After occupying the seat for two years, the newly appointed justice stands for retention in the next general election. The justice then serves a full 10-year term if he or she is retained by voters.[4]
State supreme court judicial selection in Colorado
- See also: Judicial selection in Colorado
The seven justices on the Colorado Supreme Court are selected through the assisted appointment method. Each justice is appointed by the governor from a list of names compiled by the Colorado Supreme Court Nominating Commission.[5][4]
Initial terms last at least two years, after which justices must stand for retention in a yes-no election. Subsequent terms last 10 years.[4]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a justice must be:[6]
- a qualified elector in the state;
- licensed to practice law in the state for five years; and
- under the age of 72 (retirement by 72 is mandatory).
Chief justice
The chief justice of the supreme court is selected by peer vote. Beginning in January 2021, the chief justice began serving for a set term on a rotating basis. Previously, the chief justice served indefinitely as long as he or she had the support of his or her peers.[7]
Vacancies
If a midterm vacancy occurs on the court, the seat is filled as it normally would be if the vacancy occurred at the end of a justice's term. A judicial nominating commission recommends to the governor three qualified candidates for an appellate court vacancy (two or three for a trial court vacancy), and the governor selects a successor from that list. After occupying the seat for two years, the newly appointed justice stands for retention in the next general election. The justice then serves a full 10-year term if he or she is retained by voters.[4]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
See also
External links
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Officeholder Colorado Supreme Court |
Footnotes
- ↑ Office of Colorado Governor Jared Polis, “Governor Polis Makes Appointment to the Colorado Supreme Court" accessed February 19, 2026
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedbio - ↑ Colorado Judicial Branch, "Justice Melissa Hart announces retirement from Colorado Supreme Court," December 19, 2026
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Colorado Judicial Branch, "Judicial Nominating Commissions," accessed March 28, 2023
- ↑ Colorado Judicial Branch, "Colorado Supreme Court," accessed March 28, 2023
- ↑ Colorado Judicial Branch, "What it takes to become a Judge," accessed March 28, 2023
- ↑ The Denver Post, "Colorado Supreme Court to impose term lengths for chief justice as current one retires," August 19, 2020
Federal courts:
Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Colorado • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Colorado
State courts:
Colorado Supreme Court • Colorado Court of Appeals • Colorado District Courts • Colorado County Courts • Denver Probate Court • Denver Juvenile Court • Colorado Municipal Courts • Colorado Water Courts
State resources:
Courts in Colorado • Colorado judicial elections • Judicial selection in Colorado
