List of first minority male lawyers and judges in Colorado

Last updated February 01, 2024

This is a list of the first minority male lawyer(s) and judge(s) in the U.S. State of Colorado . It includes the year in which the men were admitted to practice law (in parentheses). Also included are other distinctions such as the first minority men in their state to graduate from law school or become a political figure.

Firsts in Colorado's history

State judges

First African American male: James C. Flanigan in 1957^[1]^[2]
First Hispanic American male (district court): Don Pacheco in 1971^[3]
First Hispanic American male (Supreme Court of Colorado): Luis Rovira in 1979^[4]^[5]
First Latino American male (Colorado Court of Appeals): Jose D.L. Marquez (1970) in 1988^[6]
First African American male (18th Judicial District): Robert Russell:^[3]
First Hispanic American male (Chief Justice; Supreme Court of Colorado): Luis Rovira in 1990^[4]^[5]
First African American male (Colorado Supreme Court): Gregory Kellam Scott in 1992:^[7]
First openly gay male (district court): David Brett Woods in 2009^[8]
First Latino American male (Chief Judge; Colorado Court of Appeals): Gilbert M. Román in 2021^[9]
First South Asian male (superior court judge): Samir Patel in 2024^[10]

Federal judges

First African American male (U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado): Wiley Young Daniel (1971) in 1995^[11]^[12]
First Hispanic American male (U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit): Carlos F. Lucero (1964) in 1995^[13]^[14]
First African American male (Magistrate Judge; United States District Court for the District of Colorado): Kato Crews in 2018^[15]

Attorney General of Colorado

First Hispanic American male: Ken Salazar (1981) from 1999-2005^[16]

United States Attorney

First Hispanic American male (U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado): Charles S. Vigil in 1951^[17]

District Attorney

First African American male: Norman S. Early, Jr. in 1983^[18]^[19]
First South Asian male: Samir Patel in 2023^[10]

Colorado Bar Association

First African American male admitted: Edwin Henry Hackley (1883)^[20]^[21]
First Hispanic American male (president): Carlos F. Lucero (1964) from 1977-1978^[13]^[14]
First African American male (president): Wiley Young Daniel (1971) in 1991^[11]^[12]

Firsts in local history

Madoche Jean:^[22] First African American male judge in the 17th Judicial District [ Adams County, Colorado; 2020]
Martin Gonzales:^[23] First Hispanic American male judge in Alamosa County, Colorado (2000)
James C. Flanigan:^[1]^[2] First African American male to serve as a Deputy District Attorney and municipal court judge in Denver, Colorado
Norman S. Early, Jr.:^[19] First African American male to serve as the District Attorney for Denver, Colorado (1983) [ Denver County, Colorado]
Gilbert Gutierrez:^[24] First Latino American male to serve on the Weld County District Court, Colorado (1997)

References

1 2 Colorado Lawyer. Colorado Bar Association. April 1997.
1 2 Post, Virginia Culver | The Denver (2008-09-02). "Lawyer broke race barrier to become judge". The Denver Post. Retrieved 2020-02-14.
1 2 "Why Diversity on the Bench Matters" (PDF). CBA|CJI Diversity on the Bench Coalition. September 2020.
1 2 Martin, Mart (2018-04-24). The Almanac Of Women And Minorities In American Politics 2002. Routledge. ISBN 9780429976483.
1 2 "Luis Rovira (1923 - 2011)". Denver Public Library History. 2018-06-01. Retrieved 2019-07-19.
↑ "Colorado Supreme Court milestone a family affair". The Denver Post. 2010-12-10. Retrieved 2018-01-15.
↑ Mullarkey, Mary J. (March 6, 2000). "News: Colorado Judicial Branch" (PDF).
↑ "Governor appoints Colorado's first openly gay district judge". Boulder Daily Camera. 2009-08-14. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
↑ michael.karlik@coloradopolitics.com, MICHAEL KARLIK. "First Latino named chief judge of Colorado Court of Appeals". Colorado Politics. Retrieved 2022-02-22.
1 2 "Meet the New Judge: DA-Turned-Jurist Is 'Not Afraid to Ask Questions'". Daily Report. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
1 2 "Wiley Daniel to step down as chief federal judge in Colorado". The Denver Post. 2012-02-21. Retrieved 2018-01-19.
1 2 Black Enterprise. E.G. Graves Publishing Company. 1991.
1 2 "Judge Lucero". adams-preview.adams.edu. Retrieved 2018-01-19.
1 2 Hispanic Business. Hispanic Business Publications. 2005.
↑ "Pueblo native Kato Crews confirmed by Senate as US District Court judge for Colorado". Pueblo Chieftain. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
↑ Law Quadrangle Notes. University of Michigan Law School. 2003.
↑ "Lawyer Charles Vigil dies". Denver Post. May 9, 1999.
↑ "Clinton Lineup Set, Woman to Be Atty. General, Aides Say : Cabinet: He is expected to name Zoe Baird to top justice job today, with Kantor as trade representative. Other likely selections include Espy, Babbitt and Pena". Los Angeles Times. 1992-12-24. Retrieved 2020-03-12.
1 2 Smith, Jessie Carney (2012-12-01). Black Firsts: 4,000 Ground-Breaking and Pioneering Historical Events. Visible Ink Press. ISBN 9781578594252.
↑ Hansen, Moya (2007-01-21). "John H. Stuart (1854-1910)" . Retrieved 2021-03-30.
↑ Smith Jr, J. Clay (1999). Emancipation: The Making of the Black Lawyer, 1844-1944. University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 518. ISBN 978-0-8122-1685-1.
↑ Karlik, Michael. "Polis appoints Madoche Jean, first Black judge in Adams County". Colorado Politics. Retrieved 2022-01-24.
↑ Smith, Erin. "Alamosa to get first Hispanic judge". Pueblo Chieftain. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
↑ "Gilbert Gutierrez, Weld's first Latino judge, set to retire" . Retrieved 2018-01-13.

External links

State of Colorado
- Attorney General for Colorado
- Supreme Court of the State of Colorado

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[:5-1] 1 2 Colorado Lawyer. Colorado Bar Association. April 1997.

[:6-2] 1 2 Post, Virginia Culver | The Denver (2008-09-02). "Lawyer broke race barrier to become judge". The Denver Post. Retrieved 2020-02-14.

[:7-3] 1 2 "Why Diversity on the Bench Matters" (PDF). CBA|CJI Diversity on the Bench Coalition. September 2020.

[:8-4] 1 2 Martin, Mart (2018-04-24). The Almanac Of Women And Minorities In American Politics 2002. Routledge. ISBN 9780429976483.

[:9-5] 1 2 "Luis Rovira (1923 - 2011)". Denver Public Library History. 2018-06-01. Retrieved 2019-07-19.

[6] "Colorado Supreme Court milestone a family affair". The Denver Post. 2010-12-10. Retrieved 2018-01-15.

[7] Mullarkey, Mary J. (March 6, 2000). "News: Colorado Judicial Branch" (PDF).

[8] "Governor appoints Colorado's first openly gay district judge". Boulder Daily Camera. 2009-08-14. Retrieved 2022-02-19.

[9] .karlik@coloradopolitics.com, MICHAEL KARLIK. "First Latino named chief judge of Colorado Court of Appeals". Colorado Politics. Retrieved 2022-02-22.

[:10-10] 1 2 "Meet the New Judge: DA-Turned-Jurist Is 'Not Afraid to Ask Questions'". Daily Report. Retrieved 2024-01-31.

[:0-11] 1 2 "Wiley Daniel to step down as chief federal judge in Colorado". The Denver Post. 2012-02-21. Retrieved 2018-01-19.

[:1-12] 1 2 Black Enterprise. E.G. Graves Publishing Company. 1991.

[:2-13] 1 2 "Judge Lucero". adams-preview.adams.edu. Retrieved 2018-01-19.

[:3-14] 1 2 Hispanic Business. Hispanic Business Publications. 2005.

[15] "Pueblo native Kato Crews confirmed by Senate as US District Court judge for Colorado". Pueblo Chieftain. Retrieved 2024-01-16.

[16] Law Quadrangle Notes. University of Michigan Law School. 2003.

[17] "Lawyer Charles Vigil dies". Denver Post. May 9, 1999.

[18] "Clinton Lineup Set, Woman to Be Atty. General, Aides Say : Cabinet: He is expected to name Zoe Baird to top justice job today, with Kantor as trade representative. Other likely selections include Espy, Babbitt and Pena". Los Angeles Times. 1992-12-24. Retrieved 2020-03-12.

[:4-19] 1 2 Smith, Jessie Carney (2012-12-01). Black Firsts: 4,000 Ground-Breaking and Pioneering Historical Events. Visible Ink Press. ISBN 9781578594252.

[Hansen-20] Hansen, Moya (2007-01-21). "John H. Stuart (1854-1910)" . Retrieved 2021-03-30.

[Smith_Jr-21] Smith Jr, J. Clay (1999). Emancipation: The Making of the Black Lawyer, 1844-1944. University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 518. ISBN 978-0-8122-1685-1.

[22] Karlik, Michael. "Polis appoints Madoche Jean, first Black judge in Adams County". Colorado Politics. Retrieved 2022-01-24.

[23] Smith, Erin. "Alamosa to get first Hispanic judge". Pueblo Chieftain. Retrieved 2023-04-12.

[24] "Gilbert Gutierrez, Weld's first Latino judge, set to retire" . Retrieved 2018-01-13.

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