Former Colorado Supreme Court justice Melissa Hart dies

Melissa Hart, a former Colorado Supreme Court justice, died Thursday, the Colorado Judicial Branch said.

Hart retired from the court in January after serving as a justice from 2017 to 2025. In her resignation letter, she cited health concerns related to two concussions she experienced in 2025. The cause of her death wasn’t released.

She was appointed to the Colorado Supreme Court in 2017 by then-Gov. John Hickenlooper.

During her tenure, Hart brought “a scholar’s rigor and a teacher’s compassion to the bench,” the state’s Judicial Branch said in a statement.

“On behalf of the Supreme Court and the entire Judicial Branch, we offer our heartfelt condolences to her family and friends during this difficult time,” the statement read. “Her colleagues will remember her wisdom, her warmth, and her devotion to the work of the Court. Justice Hart’s legacy will leave a lasting impact on those who knew her.”

Gov. Jared Polis said Hart will be remembered as a “fierce fighter for the rule of law” and for her compassion.

“Justice Hart was a leader in family law and access to justice, and I am grateful for her service to the state and her judicial commitment to fairness and equality,” the governor said in a statement. 

Qusair Mohamedbhai, a Denver-based attorney and president of the Colorado Bar Association, described Hart as a respected colleague who advocated for attorneys and mentored the next generation of lawyers. 

“Justice Hart will be remembered, among many other things, as an outstanding jurist with a deep commitment to public service, supporter for women and minority attorneys, and an underwavering dedication to law students,” Mohamedbhai said. 

In her resignation letter to Chief Justice Monica Márquez last December, Hart said she planned to continue her efforts to expand access to the courts. 

“I remain deeply committed to the work that is central to Colorado’s Judicial Branch — preserving the rule of law and serving the public,” Hart wrote. “I am especially concerned about access to civil justice for low and middle-income Coloradans and making the family law system work for unrepresented litigants. Colorado, like every other state in the country, is struggling to serve the public in these areas.”

She wrote that she was particularly interested in working with the Colorado Access to Justice Commission and the various committees within the Judicial Branch that deal with family issues. 

While serving as a justice, Hart also was an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado Law School and the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, according to a news release from the Colorado Judicial Branch announcing her retirement in December. Prior to being appointed to the Colorado Supreme Court, she directed the Byron R. White Center for the Study of American Constitutional Law. 

She grew up in Denver and graduated from East High School, the Judicial Branch said. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Harvard-Radcliffe College and her law degree from Harvard Law.

As a professor, Hart maintained an active pro-bono practice, writing amicus briefs in appellate courts and representing clients in family law cases.