The Denver, Colorado, community and the state’s legal community are mourning the death of former Colorado Supreme Court Justice Melissa Hart, who died Thursday, October 1, 2026, at the age of 57. Her passing was announced by the Colorado Judicial Branch, which expressed deep sadness over the loss of the former justice.
Hart grew up in Denver and graduated from East High School before earning her bachelor’s degree from Harvard-Radcliffe College and her law degree from Harvard Law School. She later clerked for Judge Guido Calabresi of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens.
In December 2017, then-Gov. John Hickenlooper appointed Hart to the Colorado Supreme Court. She served on the court until her retirement, which became effective January 5, 2026, following a period of leave.
Before joining the state’s highest court, Hart was a longtime professor at the University of Colorado Law School, where she directed the Byron R. White Center for the Study of American Constitutional Law. Her teaching and scholarship included constitutional law, access to justice, legal ethics, employment discrimination, and civil procedure.
Throughout her career, Hart placed significant attention on access to justice, particularly for people navigating the legal system without representation. She supported Colorado’s first licensed legal paraprofessional program and worked on efforts aimed at making legal processes more accessible to members of the public. She also served as an adjunct professor at both the University of Colorado Law School and the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.
Her colleagues remembered her for her legal scholarship, dedication to public service, and commitment to the work of the judiciary. The Colorado Judicial Branch described her legacy in terms of her wisdom, warmth, and devotion to the Court.
Hart’s husband, Kevin Traskos, said she had been dealing with health issues before her death. However, a specific cause of death has not been publicly released.
Melissa Hart leaves behind a significant record of service to Colorado’s legal system. For family, friends, former colleagues, students, and members of the legal community, her death marks the loss of a respected legal scholar, educator, and former member of the state’s highest court.
In memory of Melissa Hart, may her years of service, teaching, and commitment to access to justice continue to be remembered by the people and communities she served.
