Colorado Supreme Court Justice Monica Márquez was sworn in as the state’s new chief justice Friday. Márquez takes the reins from Brian Boatright, who served as chief justice during a tumultuous time for the Colorado Judicial Department as the agency was rocked by allegations of blackmail and mismanagement that ultimately led to the public censure of former Chief Justice Nathan Coats, Boatright’s predecessor. Márquez, who was sworn in during a private ceremony Friday afternoon, was named as Boatright’s successor in 2020, when the Colorado Supreme Court for the first time set term limits for its chief justices. “Having worked closely with Justice Márquez for nearly 13 years, I can unequivocally say that the Department is in good hands,” Boatright wrote in an email to judicial employees Friday.