Justice Michael Bender was named Chief Justice of the Colorado Supreme Court today, succeeding Mary Mullarkey, who served in that role since 1998.
Bender has been a justice since January, 1997, when he was appointed to the court by Gov. Roy Romer. Before that, he was in private practice and served as a public defender.
“Justice Bender has been a great colleague and valued member of the Court,” Mullarkey said in a release from the court. “I am confident Justice Bender will serve Colorado well in his new role.”
The chief justice is responsible for handling administrative matters for the court and will also choose four of the 11 members of the state reapportionment commission, which draws new boundaries for state legislative districts. Bender is registered to vote as a Democrat, according to state records.
