Federal trial and appellate judges from Colorado and neighboring states heard about physical security, ways to engage with the public and other topics at a recent conference sponsored by the Denver-based appeals court.

In even-numbered years, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit — which has jurisdiction over federal appeals from Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming — holds a gathering for lawyers and judges in Colorado Springs. This year, the court hosted its judges-only meeting from Aug. 26-28 in Santa Fe, N.M.

“We had a brief exercise, what we called a ‘circuit cafe,’ where judges would get together at different tables and sort of mix around the room to discuss different topics,” said Judge Richard E.N. Federico of Kansas, who was the chair of the conference’s planning committee.

The 10th Circuit declined to allow Colorado Politics to attend the event, but Federico, a Joe Biden appointee who joined the court in 2023, agreed to speak on the record about what happened.

Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, a former 10th Circuit judge who is assigned to hear certain requests arising out of the circuit to the U.S. Supreme Court, did not attend the conference. Federico said he understood Gorsuch had a scheduling conflict. A Supreme Court spokesperson did not respond to Colorado Politics’ question about the conflict.

Federico said he invited Second Circuit Judge Richard J. Sullivan to speak due to his position as chair of the U.S. Judicial Conference’s Committee on Judicial Security. Federico said he heard Sullivan’s presentation in the recent past, but believed his “message is so salient.”

“We live in a country where all of us need to be mindful of our security as those who are in a position of public trust,” he said. Federico did not perceive the presentation to revolve specifically around the current environment, in which federal judges have faced a wave of threats after finding the Trump administration acted unlawfully in various cases.

“I think some of it was to make us more aware of the moment we live in now because anyone can pick up the newspaper and find stories about threats against judges,” Federico said.

The conference opened with an executive session to discuss milestones within the circuit’s six-state region, such as retirements and additions to the bench. Attendees also heard from the director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts and from the head of the Federal Judicial Center.

U.S. District Court Senior Judge Julie A. Robinson of Kansas gave an update from her position on the judiciary’s Budget Committee and the Workplace Conduct Working Group. Then, 10th Circuit Judges Timothy M. Tymkovich and Veronica S. Rossman, both of Colorado, interviewed retired D.C. Circuit Judge David S. Tatel about his recent memoir that touches on his blindness and his judicial career.

University of Miami psychology Prof. Amishi Jha spoke to attendees about the science behind attention and mindfulness, and a U.S. Department of Justice cybersecurity expert also gave a presentation. Two federal judges from outside the 10th Circuit, plus a Louisiana state court judge, spoke about the use of artificial intelligence.

“We had a panel discussion about the rise of states as litigants in lawsuits against the federal government. And that’s been something I would call more than a trend,” Federico said, “and has been noticed in academic circles, but also just by people who pay attention to the courts — how much states have been involved in different types of mass litigation around the country.”

Federico said the conference did not address threats to the rule of law or the federal government’s activity more broadly, but “the closest we came to that” was a panel discussion titled “Sustaining the Public’s Perception of the Judiciary.”

“There are a lot of organizations who believe the judiciary perhaps could be a little more forward-leaning and engaging in civic outreach,” he said. “I think a lot of judges are aware of that and want to ensure that those who choose to do it, again, abide by what the guardrails are. But ethically, sort of best practices in the judiciary.

“It certainly wasn’t about anything unique to our time about the rule of law,” Federico added.

He said the types of civic outreach contemplated include inviting school groups to courthouses, engaging in mock trial events or presenting off the bench to the legal community.

“A lot of the times where judges engage with members of the public, it’s really members of the bar,” Federico continued. “There was discussion about whether there were other types of events judges could or should participate in, if they so choose, to make contact with members of the public who are not members of the bar who, I think, have a real vested interest in understanding what the judiciary does on a day-to-day basis.”

Federico added there was no “formal theme” for the conference. However, as a U.S. Navy captain, he “kind of had my own theme” related to the Navy.

The conference took place at the La Fonda on the Plaza hotel. In addition to Federico, the conference planning committee included:

• Tymkovich and Rossman of the 10th Circuit
• U.S. District Court Judge S. Kato Crews of Colorado
• U.S. District Court Chief Judge Kelly H. Rankin of Wyoming
• U.S. District Court Judge Kea W. Riggs of New Mexico
• U.S. Magistrate Judge Teresa J. James of Kansas
• U.S. Magistrate Judge Suzanne Mitchell of the Western District of Oklahoma
• U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Peggy Hunt of Utah