The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO THE LIFE OF FORMER JUSTICE GREGORY K. SCOTT
______
HON. DIANA DeGETTE
of colorado
in the house of representatives
Thursday, April 22, 2021
Ms. DeGETTE. Madam Speaker, I rise today, along with Congressman Ed Perlmutter, Congressman Jason Crow, and Congressman Joe Neguse, to recognize the life and accomplishments of the first and only African American to serve on our state's highest court, former Colorado Supreme Court Justice Gregory K. Scott who passed away on Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at the age of 72.
Justice Scott graduated from Rutgers University before attending law school at Indiana University. In 1977, he and his wife Carolyn, also an attorney, moved to Denver so that Scott could start his new position as a trial attorney at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's regional office. Later, Scott joined the faculty at University of Denver's Sturm College of Law as a professor, where he taught numerous students about securities and corporate law. While making their life in Denver, the couple welcomed two sons, both of whom sadly preceded them in death.
In 1993, then Governor Roy Romer appointed Scott to the Colorado Supreme Court, making him the first--and thus far the only--African American to serve at the highest level of our state's judiciary. During his time on the bench, Justice Scott participated in 1,000 decisions, some notable ones including Evans v. Romer, which involved the court stepping in to stop enforcement of a ban that infringed the rights of our gay and lesbian Coloradans, and also Hill v. Thomas, a decision he penned himself to uphold the state law I wrote to mandate an 8-foot buffer zone between protesters and individuals trying to gain entrance into Colorado abortion clinics. I am proud to note that the U.S. Supreme Court later upheld this decision, finding the same truth we hold so dear in Colorado, that rights of speech and access to reproductive care can both be vigorously protected.
Justice Scott served admirably both inside and outside of the courtroom, especially when it came to championing the civil nights causes he cherished deeply. While living in Denver, he took pride in mentoring law students, especially law students of color, who believed as he did--as we all do--that diversity in the legal profession is vital to the best interests of clients, whether corporate or individual, and every Coloradan. Additionally, Scott was active with the local NAACP chapter, the Urban League, and the Sam Cary Bar Association. Even in his retirement years, Scott continued answering the call to serve. After moving to his wife's hometown in Indiana, he became the executive director of the Indiana Civil Rights Commission.
Justice Scott has been remembered by friends and former colleagues as a ``giant'' in Colorado's legal community with a brilliant legal mind and a profound respect for the rule of law. Truly, he will always be remembered for his lasting legacy on our state's supreme court, but also as a bowtie-wearing jurist who was as likable as he was learned, and as socially conscious as he was compassionate. We send our heartfelt condolences to his wife Carolyn and to the entire Scott family, as well as to the Coloradans who are saddened by his loss.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 70
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