Michael Lee Bender[2] (born January 7, 1942)[3] is an American attorney and jurist, who served as the 44th Chief Justice of the Colorado Supreme Court.
[3] Prior to becoming a judge, he worked in private practice, for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and as a public defender in Denver and Jefferson County and for the state.
[3] Bender was first appointed to the Colorado Supreme Court January 2, 1997 by Governor Roy Romer,[3] to a seat vacated by the retirement of George E.
[5] He won retention in 2010, despite opposition from conservative and Libertarian groups.
[4] He has five children with his wife, Helen H. Hand, a psychologist who runs Colorado Free University; the couple live in the Stapleton development in Denver.