Gov. John Hickenlooper on Tuesday afternoon appointed , a judge on the Court of Appeals, to serve on the state Supreme Court.
Gabriel, 53, will succeed Justice Gregory J. Hobbs Jr., who is retiring effective Sept. 1.
“I believe deeply that our courts exist to ensure equal justice under the law,” Gabriel said in his brief comments after Hickenlooper’s announcement. “We also have a duty to ensure access to justice for all citizens, which is a significant issue facing many Colorado citizens today.”
“I will do everything in my power and work hard every day in pursuit of those magnificent ideals,” he said. He was joined at the ceremony by his wife, Jill Wichlens, and one of his daughters, Kathleen.
Hickenlooper praised Gabriel for his “reputation for hard work and determination but also for integrity and generosity.” He remarked on Gabriel’s background, born to working-class parents in Brooklyn as one of seven children.
“We will take a bright star from our court of appeals and allow it to shine even more brightly on our Supreme Court,” Hickenlooper said.
Chief Justice Nancy Rice was also in attendance. She praised the merit selection process utilized by Colorado, in which a bipartisan panel submits three candidates to the governor, who then nominates one.
“I plan to have Rich working very hard,” Rice said.
Also on the list of candidates were David Prince, the deputy chief judge for the 4th Judicial District in El Paso and Teller counties, and at the University of Colorado Law School.
Gabriel, a registered Democrat, was appointed to the Court of Appeals by former Gov. Bill Ritter in 2008. he also has served as city prosecutor for Lafayette for four years.
The Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry had lobbied for Prince’s appointment, saying he had “strong business experience” because of his years working for Holland and Hart, a law firm that handles complex business litigation.
Gabriel, who was still in private practice just eight years ago, said after the ceremony that he never imagined he would land on the state’s Supreme Court, but that he applied for the Court of Appeals job back in 2008 out of a sense of duty.
“It was always my view as a trial lawyer that the highest calling would be to be a judge someday,” he said.
Lynn Bartels: 303-954-5327, lbartels@denverpost.com or twitter.com/lynn_bartels
