DENVER (AP) — Colorado's top court has censured a former state appeals court judge who used racial epithets in emails with a romantic partner.
The Supreme Court decision released Monday also backed a judicial disciplinary panel's punishment of Laurie Booras.
The Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline ruled in December that Booras had violated the state's judicial conduct code by using racial terms, including referring to a fellow judge as "the little Mexican," and sharing confidential court information with the man.
The commission recommended that the state Supreme Court remove Booras. She resigned in January.
Her attorneys appealed the commission's decision, arguing that the emails were protected by the First Amendment.
The Supreme Court disagreed, saying the commission correctly decided that Booras had violated the conduct code.
The justices also formally accepted Booras' resignation.