On Friday, Colorado Deputy Attorney General Monica Marquez followed her father's footsteps and made history, reports the Denver Post.
Marquez was sworn in Friday as Colorado's new Supreme Court justice. Marquez is the first Latina and the first openly gay jurist on the state's high court. "On the bench, of course, my allegiance is to the law, not to any particular constituency," she said after she was sworn in by her father, retired Judge Jose D.L. Marquez, who was the first Latino appointed to the Colorado Court of Appeals.
Marquez, 41, is a Grand Junction native who attended Stanford and Yale universities. Gov. Bill Ritter told the justices that he interviewed Marquez and determined she has a "deep respect for the rule of law." He said he was reassured she would not show preference. "It's important not to do that for any interest group," he told the court. ...
Heather Draper, spokeswoman for the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Community Center said Colorado lawmakers have passed five laws in recent years improving gay rights, including laws that allow same sex couples to designate beneficiaries, adopt children and bar discrimination in housing, but none of those issues are involved in pending litigation.
There are no major gay rights issues pending before the court but "there could be a court challenge if Colorado Republican lawmakers" move forward with plans to introduce an Arizona-style SB1070 immigration law. And if a gay rights or immigration law were to reach the court ... don't be too surprised if conservatives claim "bias" and suggest Justice Marquez should recuse herself.
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