Judge Neil Gorsuch (Getty)
Neil Gorsuch is President Donald Trump’s nominee for Supreme Court Justice. He has a loving family who has supported him every step of the way. Gorsuch is an appeals court judge who is often referred to as a “Young Scalia” — which is quite appropriate, since he may be replacing former Justice Antonin Scalia. Gorsuch was nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit in 2006. He also teaches classes at the University of Colorado – Boulder.
Neil’s family has long bene supportive of his judicial career. When he was sworn in as an appellate judge in 2006, the Denver Post noted that dozens of members of his family, plus friends, packed the federal courthouse that day. He has a large extended family, mostly in the Colorado area.
Here’s what you need to know about his family:
1. Neil Gorsuch’s Wife, Marie Louise Gorsuch, Is His College Sweetheart
Judge Neil Gorsuch (L) and his wife Marie Louise (Getty)
Neil’s wife, Louise Gorsuch, is his college sweetheart. They met at Oxford University, according to The Daily Camera. They have a close and loving relationship. In his book, “The Future of Assisted Suicide & Euthanasia,” Neil dedicated the book to his wife and their two children.
Today, Neil and Louise live in Boulder, Colorado, where Neil was born. Together, they raise horses, chickens, and goats on a three-acre lot, and often hang out with old friends.
2. Neil Gorsuch’s Oldest Daughter Is Emma Gorsuch
Neil Gorsuch has two daughters. (Facebook)
According to his University of Colorado — Boulder bio, Neil and Louise have two daughters. Emma is their oldest daughter, born in 1999. His family has long been supportive of his judicial career. When he was sworn in as appellate judge in 2006, his daughters were right there, helping him into his judge’s robes. You can see a photo of Emma when she was only 6 here.
During his acceptance speech, Gorsuch noted that his daughters, who weren’t at the press conference, were watching from home.
3. Neil Gorsuch’s Youngest Daughter Is Belinda Gorsuch
Judge Neil Gorsuch (L) shakes hands with US President Donald Trump after he was nominated for the Supreme Court, as his wife stands nearby. (Getty)
Belinda is Neil’s youngest daughter, according to his bio. Belinda was born in 2001, just two years after her sister. According to a St. John’s Episcopal Church newsletter, both of his daughters volunteered as acolytes for a time. You can see a photo of Neil with both his daughters here.
4. Neil’s Mom, Anne Gorsuch Burford, His Dad David Gorsuch, and His Grandfather Were All Lawyers
Neil Gorsuch? I have fond memories of working at his family’s law firm, Gorsuch Kirgis Campbell Walker & Grover, back in the day.
Neil’s family has a long history in the legal profession. According to Vail Daily, Neil’s grandfather, John, was a partner in a Denver law firm.
Neil’s mom and dad, David Gorsuch and Anne Gorsuch Burford, both graduated from CU Law in 1964. His mom and dad were married in 1964 and divorced in 1982. Anne later married Robert Burford, who died in 1993 while divorce proceedings were pending.
9 APR 1983: Reagan’s head of EPA, Anne Burford, part of Coors Mafia, resigns after multiple scandals #DontDrinkCoors http://t.co/B9KPugXbj7
Neil’s mom, Anne Gorsuch Burford, was appointed the first female administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency by former President Ronald Reagan in 1981. She served from 1981 to 1983. However, once she was appointed she tried to cut the EPA’s budget by over 45 percent and promote voluntary compliance rather than strict regulations. The number of cases filed against alleged polluters were reduced during her tenure. She also approved pesticide spraying and cut the number of employees working at the EPA.
In 1982, she refused to release documents to Congress after the EPA was accused of mishandling $1.6 billion in a toxic waste fund. She was held in contempt of Congress and later resigned, saying that she couldn’t do her job anymore and believed that she had become “the issue” in the EPA.
She died at the age of 62, in 2004, after a battle with cancer.
5. Neil Has a Large, Extended Family, Including an Uncle Who’s a Reverend, a Sister, Stephanie Gorsuch, and a Brother, J.J. Gorsuch
Yes, presumptive #SCOTUS nominee Neil Gorsuch is a member of the family that owns the boutique ski shops in Vail and Aspen.
Neil has a large, extended family. His uncle, John P. Gorsuch, is a reverend. You can see Neil’s uncle in the background of a photo here.
According to an article by The New York Times, published when Neil’s mom died, his grandmother, Dorothy McGill of Denver, outlived his mom. He also has five aunts on his mom’s side: two named Dorothy McGill, Mary Edwards, Theresa Peace, Veronica Urban, and Rosie Binger. He also has an uncle on his mom’s side, Joe McGill of Plano.
Neil also has a sister, Stephanie Gorsuch. When their mom, Anne, died in 2004, Stephanie shared the cause of her mom’s death with The New York Times.
He also has a brother, J.J. Gorsuch, according to The New York Times.