Colorado Supreme Court
Honorable Rebecca Love Kourlis
Retention Year: 1998
Recommendation: Retain
The State Commission on Judicial Performance recommends that Justice Rebecca Love Kourlis BE RETAINED.
Justice Kourlis was appointed to the Colorado Supreme Court in May 1995. She was appointed to the District Court for the 14th Judicial District in 1987, and served as Chief Judge for that district from 1991-1994. Prior to her appointment to the bench, Justice Kourlis practiced law in both Denver and Craig, Colorado, 1976-1987, specializing in natural resources law. She is a graduate of Stanford University Law School.
Her community service in numerous organizations spans almost two decades. Justice Kourlis received the President's Award, Northwest Colorado Bar Association for community service two years in a row (1993-1994). She currently participates on the University of Denver Law School Board of Visitors and the Kent Denver Board of Trustees. In 1998 she received an American Association of University Women Trailblazer Award. The State Commission found Justice Kourlis' commitment to community service exemplary.
The State Commission is very impressed with Justice Kourlis and believes her to be one of Colorado's outstanding Supreme Court Justices. She is committed to judicial reform, serving on and chairing numerous committees related to administrative restructuring, gender and justice issues, access to the courts, professionalism, jury reform and attorney grievance reform. As current chair of the Family Law Committee, Judicial Advisory Council, Justice Kourlis has lent leadership to the area of family law.
Attorney questionnaires received by the State Commission rate Justice Kourlis high overall, especially in the areas of fairness and justice, equal treatment of all persons, and treatment of parties during oral argument. Of the attorney responses received, 94.4% voted to retain Justice Kourlis and 5.6% voted not to retain.