With great sadness, I share news of the passing of former Colorado Supreme Court Justice Melissa Hart. Among Justice Hart’s many roles across the legal profession and academia, she was the Chair of the Council of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar for 2026–27, where she laid out a compelling and forward-thinking agenda in a time of exceptional uncertainty.

Although I did not know Justice Hart well, I was fortunate to see her speak publicly a number of times over the last decade, and I very much appreciated her warm collegiality. Justice Hart was tireless in advancing her values, and she had a singular ability to inspire students, faculty, and members of the bar to bring that same commitment to their own work. Her work on access to justice influenced my own work on complementary issues in legal education. The state of Colorado and the nation will miss Justice Hart deeply.

ABA Mourns Passing of Law School Accreditation Leader, Former Colorado Supreme Court Justice Melissa Hart, ABA News & Insights (Oct. 2, 2026):

The American Bar Association mourns the passing of Melissa Hart, a distinguished jurist, educator, public servant and leader whose lifelong commitment to justice, legal education and public service left an indelible mark on the profession. Justice Hart died on Oct. 1 after a career defined by intellectual rigor and an unwavering commitment to expanding access to justice.

Colorado Judicial Branch, Passing of Former Colorado Supreme Court Justice Melissa Hart (Oct. 1, 2026):

Justice Hart served on the Colorado Supreme Court from 2017 to 2025, bringing a scholar’s rigor and a teacher’s compassion to the bench. While serving on the Court, Justice Hart also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado Law School and the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Justice Hart grew up in Denver and graduated from East High School. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Harvard-Radcliffe College, and her law degree from Harvard Law. Justice Hart clerked for Judge Guido Calabresi of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and for Justice John Paul Stevens of the United States Supreme Court.

Olivia Prentzel, Former Colorado Supreme Court Justice Melissa Hart Dies, Colorado Sun (Oct. 1, 2026):

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 unwavering dedication to law students,” Mohamedbhai said.

Ava Kian, Former Colorado Supreme Court Justice Melissa Hart Dies, CPR News (Oct. 1, 2026):

In reflecting on her time on the bench, [Justice Hart] said she was proud of the court’s reforms in making legal issues more accessible like having forms with “plain language” and the state’s self-represented litigant coordinators. 

Hart was also a supporter of the state’s first licensed legal paraprofessional program. . . .

[Colorado] Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement that on the day of her memorial, flags would fly at half staff. 

Related links on Justice Hart’s work:

• Melissa Hart, From the Chair: A Year of Opportunities and Challenges Ahead, Syllabus (Sept. 17, 2026)
• Colorado Judicial Branch, Justice Melissa Hart Announces Retirement from Colorado Supreme Court (Dec. 19, 2025)
• American Law Institute, Melissa Hart Delivers Brennan Lecture on the Need for Change in Legal Institutions (Feb. 28, 2025)

Related TaxProf Blog coverage:

• Coverage of NACIQI Hearing Re: the ABA Council and National Accreditation (Sept. 30, 2026)
• ABA Council Repeals Diversity Standard (Sept. 9, 2026)
• Law Student Recruitment (Webinar) (Mar. 11, 2026) (with Justice Hart as a panelist)