Justice Allison Eid ‘An Exceptional Nominee’

SEN. GARDNER: ‘Justice Eid Will Side With What The Law Says And She Will Do It In That Common Sense Western Way’

SEN. CORY GARDNER (R-CO): “It is an honor … and genuine pleasure to be here to introduce my good friend, Justice Allison Eid and to offer my strong support for her confirmation as a judge on the United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. There's no doubt that Justice Eid is superbly qualified for the position …” (U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing, 9/20/2017)

• SEN. GARDNER: “For the past decade, she has served as a justice on the Colorado Supreme Court and in 2008, Justice Eid was overwhelmingly retained by the people of Colorado. Prior to her appointment, Justice Eid represented the State of Colorado before the state and federal courts as the state’s solicitor general. She also served as a tenured member on the faculty at … the University of Colorado School of Law where she has taught courses in constitutional law, legislation and torts and published scholarly articles on the topics of federalism and tort law. In addition, Justice Eid has practiced commercial and appellate litigation at the Denver office of the law firm, Arnold & Porter. Justice Eid began her legal career as a law clerk to Judge Jerry Smith on the United States Circuit Court for the Fifth Circuit. She then served as a law clerk to the United States Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas…. What her resume makes clear is that whatever Justice Eid does, she does it at the highest and best levels.” (U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing, 9/20/2017)

• SEN. GARDNER: “As the professor I know from my days as a student at the University of Colorado Law School, I can say from personal experience that while Justice Eid has her perspectives on the law, she has and does care deeply about robust debates and hearing the views of others and know from my classmates that didn't always share her perspectives that Justice Eid was open to their views engaging with them and never biased against different perspectives. And I also know that fiercely independent jurist that her former clerks described, Justice Eid will follow the law regardless of the popular win, whether considering the plain meaning of the statute, discerning the proper role of the courts, the legislative branch or the executive and its agencies or evaluating the relationship between the Federal government and the states, Justice Eid will side with what the law says and she will do it in that common sense western way.” (U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing, 9/20/2017)

Former Clerks Praise Justice Eid As ‘A Jurist And A Person Of The Highest Caliber And Character’

27 Former Clerks Of Justice Eid: “We are all of Justice Eid’s former law clerks (except those currently clerking for a federal judge and not permitted to sign) since she began her tenure on the Colorado Supreme Court in 2006, and we write to give our fullest support to her nomination to be a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. We come from a diverse set of geographic, economic, cultural, and political backgrounds, yet we are united in our belief that Justice Eid is a jurist and a person of the highest caliber and character.” (27 Former Law Clerks, Letter To Sens. Grassley And Feinstein, 7/13/2017)

• “Her qualifications to serve are unparalleled and speak for themselves. At each stage of her education and career Justice Eid has excelled at the highest levels and has received praise, awards, and the utmost respect of her colleagues and those who have worked for her. This is in no small part due to her incredible work ethic and her leadership by example. And we as law clerks have carefully observed and learned from her simultaneous and unfaltering commitment to both her family and her position on the Colorado Supreme Court…. She has been an important and steady mentor in each of our lives. We urge the Senate to take swift action on her nomination …” (27 Former Law Clerks, Letter To Sens. Grassley And Feinstein, 7/13/2017)

• “As law clerks we had the distinct privilege and opportunity to learn by observing Justice Eid throughout her decision making process. We learned that she never fails to provide her full attention and dedication to each individual case, mastering the relevant facts and carefully analyzing the law, whether the text of a statute or the words of a contract. As Justice Eid is so fond of saying, she ‘goes where the law takes her.’ In other words, she treats each case individually without any preconceived notion of desired outcome.” (27 Former Law Clerks, Letter To Sens. Grassley And Feinstein, 7/13/2017)

• “As young lawyers, we took particular note of the respect that Justice Eid shows the parties and their attorneys both in her written work product and during oral argument. We also observed her belief in the importance of respect and collegiality with her colleagues, particularly during times of disagreement. Her chambers are always open, and she wants to hear different viewpoints (even ours), but she remains fiercely independent, ultimately deciding cases as she believes the law requires. And her opinions do just that—in clean and succinct prose, time and again, Justice Eid resolves the dispute between the parties and announces a clear rule of law that can be readily discerned by future litigants. Her majority opinions in particular are a testament to the care, dedication, and consensus-building attitude she brings to her role as a Judge.” (27 Former Law Clerks, Letter To Sens. Grassley And Feinstein, 7/13/2017)

KATHERINE C. YARGER, Gibson Dunn: “I had the pleasure of serving as one of Eid’s law clerks before going on to clerk for then-Judge Neil Gorsuch and for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. I have been lucky to have great mentors, but none has been quite as special as Eid. From her modest beginnings to her remarkable legal achievements, she epitomizes the self-fortitude and grace we should hope for in our public servants.” (Katherine C. Yarger, Op-Ed, “Colorado Justice Allison Eid Poised To Make History At The 10th Circuit,” The Denver Post, 7/28/2017)

• YARGER: “But [her] sterling resume … is not what makes Justice Eid so special. Her experiences and her character are what set her apart. The challenges she faced — particularly in her childhood — forged an unsurpassed work ethic … Eid commits her full mental energy and attention to each case, carefully mastering every legal and factual detail in order to conduct a rigorous analysis dictated ultimately by the law. She is also a champion for diversity, hiring and mentoring numerous diverse law clerks and supporting policies to make courts more accessible to diverse communities. She has received the American Bar Association’s highest ‘well qualified’ rating. From across the state, and indeed across the country, broad-based support for her confirmation has poured in to elected officials.” (Katherine C. Yarger, Op-Ed, “Colorado Justice Allison Eid Poised To Make History At The 10th Circuit,” The Denver Post, 7/28/2017)

• YARGER: “For women striving to achieve that elusive balance between family life and a successful career, it can be hard to find strong role models. But Colorado’s Allison Eid is as a shining example. Not only has she reached the highest levels of the legal profession, she has raised two amazing children and supported her husband’s own high-demand career. This combination — lawyer, mother, spouse to another working spouse — is extraordinarily rare in the upper echelons of the legal community and should be celebrated.” (Katherine C. Yarger, Op-Ed, “Colorado Justice Allison Eid Poised To Make History At The 10th Circuit,” The Denver Post, 7/28/2017)

National Congress Of American Indians: ‘Justice Eid’s Significant Experience In Indian Law Will Be Valuable To’ The Tenth Circuit

BRIAN CLADOOSBY, National Congress of American Indians: “I write on behalf of the National Congress of American Indians to support the confirmation of Justice Allison Eid to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. NCAI seeks the nomination of judges with knowledge of federal Indian law and experience on western issues such as federal lands and natural resources. The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals encompasses the territory of 76 federally recognized Indian tribes, and Justice Eid’s significant experience in Indian law will be valuable to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.” (Brian Cladoosby, National Congress Of American Indians, Letter To Sens. Grassley And Feinstein, 8/10/2017)

• CLADOOSBY: “Justice Eid’s legal career reflects her respect for tribes as sovereign nations and for their role under the Constitution…. Her legal opinions demonstrate her knowledge and understanding of a distinct area of American jurisprudence. Justice Eid also consistently advocates for individuals to strengthen their Indian law knowledge by recommending legal scholarship from other Indian law practitioners.” (Brian Cladoosby, National Congress Of American Indians, Letter To Sens. Grassley And Feinstein, 8/10/2017)