R. Brooke Jackson kissed his wife, Liz, after she helped him into his black robe just before he was formally sworn onto Colorado’s U.S. District Court bench this evening.
Thunderous applause from Colorado’s top lawyers and judges from around the state filled the Arraj federal courthouse during the formal investiture.
Jackson, former chief district judge in Jefferson County, was escorted to his seat on the bench by his children, Jeff, Brett, Jennie and grandson Alister.
The judge’s journey to the federal court bench took two years after Democratic Sens. Mark Udall and Michael Bennet recommended him for the spot to President Barack Obama. Partisan infighting that has become a hallmark of the judicial selection process slowed his confirmation.
The Colorado federal court was short on judges for the last four years with an average of two vacancies at any given time while caseloads were doubling.
“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,” Jackson joked during his remarks.
He credited his wife for helping him through the contentious confirmation process, saying she sat on the floor with him collating the financial disclosure forms and other documents requested by the Senate.
Jackson had bipartisan support for his confirmation, including backing from Republican Attorney General John Suthers and former Colorado U.S. Attorney Troy Eid.
“I’m excited about being a trial judge. I am joining an extraordinary bench,” Jackson said.
The judge says he would like the courts to be more accessible to the public who often can’t afford to file cases when they need justice.
Jackson is a 1972 graduate of Harvard Law School and worked as a private attorney at Denver firm Holland and Hart before he became a state judge in 1993.
“When Senator Bennet and I met with Judge Jackson we were impressed with his persona and his history on the bench,” Udall said. “It was the way in which the judge handled the grueling confirmation process that we knew we picked the right person.”
Jackson says he is grateful for the support Udall gave him through the process and says he will consider him a lifelong friend.
