Hickenlooper, Bennet Applaud Biden’s Intent to Nominate Charlotte Sweeney to Serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado

Hickenlooper and Bennet Recommended Sweeney to the White House in May

Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet released the following joint statement after President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Charlotte Sweeney to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado.

“Charlotte has dedicated her career to fighting for equality. Whether representing victims of discrimination or working toward pay equity, Charlotte has been relentless in her fight for justice under the law. We are confident her vast experience along with her skills, passion, and integrity have prepared her for this role on the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. We look forward to supporting her throughout the confirmation process.”

Sweeney currently serves as a partner in the law firm of Sweeney & Bechtold, where she represents both public and private sector employees in discrimination, civil rights, and wrongful discharge cases. She also lectures regularly on employment law and employment litigation. Sweeney assisted in drafting the 2019 Equal Pay for Equal Work Act in Colorado. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Matthew Shepard Foundation since 2016, and is a member of the Colorado LGBT Bar Association. 

Sweeney previously chaired the Labor and Employment Section of the Colorado Bar Association and served as President of the Plaintiff Employment Lawyers Association. Colorado Super Lawyers has repeatedly named her one of the top 50 women attorneys in the state and 5280 Magazine named her one of the top lawyers in Colorado since 2014. Sweeney obtained her BS from California Lutheran University and her JD from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. 

Hickenlooper and Bennet recommended Sweeney to the White House for this position in May. Sweeney would be the first openly LGBT federal judge in Colorado and the first openly LGBT woman to serve as a federal district court judge in any state west of the Mississippi.

In March, Hickenlooper and Bennet announced the formation of an advisory committee that implemented an open application process to recommend highly qualified candidates, including Sweeney, for current and future vacancies on the U.S. District Court in Colorado. If confirmed, Sweeney will fill the District Court vacancy following Judge R. Brooke Jackson’s announcement that he will be taking senior status effective September 30, 2021. 

Biden announced his intent to nominate Sweeney alongside three other judicial nominees.