She was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and is the daughter of former Governor John Arthur Love. According to school records, she received her primary school education at Graland Country Day School in Denver, class of 1967. In 1973, she graduated with distinction from Stanford University, and in 1976, earned a law degree from Stanford Law School.
Kourlis was appointed to the state Supreme Court in May 1995 by Democratic Governor Roy Romer. She previously served as a district court judge and worked in private practice in Colorado. She was mentioned as a potential nominee of George W. Bush to the U.S. Supreme Court by Senator Ken Salazar. On December 5, 2005, she announced her retirement from the Colorado Supreme Court effective January 10, 2006 . In January 2006, she became Executive Director of University of Denver Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System.
