About

Judge Wiley Y. Daniel was born on September 10, 1946 in Louisville, Kentucky, the only child of Lavinia Young Daniel and Wiley Bowman Daniel, Jr. Following in the footsteps of his parents who both attended Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Wiley received both his undergraduate and law degrees from Howard University in Washington, D.C. During his second year of law school, Wiley met the love of his life and future wife, Ida Blanche Seymour of Denver, CO. Wiley and Ida married on April 17, 1971 and had three daughters: Jennifer, Stephanie, and Nicole.

Wiley began his legal career focused on civil litigation, worked as a senior associate, and was promoted to partner in early 1980. In 1988, he began handling complex litigation matters in Colorado, Minnesota, and Florida. He became President of the Colorado Bar Association in 1992, and was the only African American to serve in that capacity. In September 1995, Wiley was appointed to the United States District Court for the District of Colorado by President Bill Clinton, and became the first African American to serve on the Court, becoming Chief Judge of the Court in 2008. Wiley assumed Senior Judge status in 2013, and continued to preside over a demanding case load until his untimely death on May 10, 2019. In addition to his case load, Wiley was quite active as a judge. From May 2009 to April 2011, he served as President of the Federal Judges Association. From August 2013 to April 2015, Wiley was appointed as a special mediator for the City of Detroit’s bankruptcy proceeding. From 2013 until his death, Wiley sat by designation with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Wiley received many awards. He was the recipient of the American Inns of Court Foundation Professionalism Award for the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals; he was honored by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Epsilon Nu Omega Chapter as a M.O.D.E.L. Award Honoree; he was inducted into the “Blacks in Colorado” Hall of Fame; and he was awarded the King Trimble Lifetime Achievement Award by the Sam Cary Bar Association. In recognition of his lifelong commitment to diversity and inclusiveness within the legal profession, Wiley was selected as the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Center for Legal Inclusiveness. The National Black Prosecutors Association presented him with the Trailblazer Award, and he was recognized as an African American History Month Honoree by Mayor Michael Hancock. Wiley actively participated in bar and civic organizations that: (1) emphasize diversity and inclusion in the legal profession, and/or (2) focus on the importance of mentoring children and young adults. He served on the boards of Denver Kids Inc., AMIkids Inc., Denver Children’s Choir, and The Center for African American Health. Wiley was also active with Delta Eta Boule of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, The Owl Club of Denver, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, and Park Hill United Methodist Church where he served as a church leader, and for many years chaperoned youth mission trips. Finally, his current and former law clerks established the Judge Wiley Y. Daniel Endowed Scholarship Fund at his alma mater, Howard University School of Law. 

Wiley was also a devoted and skilled teacher and mentor to thousands of law students and lawyers in Colorado. He taught courses in trial advocacy as an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado School of Law and the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. He also enjoyed mentoring high school, college, and law students, along with practicing attorneys and other professionals. Wiley was a frequent lecturer at continuing legal education programs throughout the country, and was recently a speaker at Howard University School of Law’s 150th Anniversary celebration.

Wiley was an active member of the Park Hill neighborhood, and would regularly deliver the neighborhood paper, sometimes with the help of his grandsons, Langston and Quincy. He was an avid sports fan, and loved spending nights on the couch watching basketball games or attending Broncos football games, shooting hoops in the driveway, and playing golf with friends and his grandsons. Wiley loved to travel and experience new adventures. Ida and Wiley took several memorable international trips together, including to Cuba, Italy, Peru, and Southeast Asia. Wiley was a gifted musician who enjoyed playing the piano, singing in his church’s gospel choir, and playing hand bells. 

 Wiley was a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather, and uncle. Wiley is survived by his beloved wife of 48 years, Ida; his three daughters, Jennifer Daniel Collins, Stephanie Daniel, and Nicole Daniel; his two grandsons, Langston Collins and Quincy Collins; his son-in-law David Collins; and his close paternal cousins: Edward K. Glass Jr., G. Reginald Daniel, Thernell Pete Anderson, and Malva Daniel Reid, and their families. Wiley is also survived by his wife’s three siblings and their families: sister-in-law Patricia Rogers and children; sister-in-law JoEllen Greenwood, her husband James, and children; and brother-in-law Winfred Seymour Jr., his wife Jane-Ellen, and children. Wiley is survived by additional extended family members.