10th circuit
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10th Circuit tosses GEO Group’s pretrial appeal in human trafficking lawsuit
The Denver-based federal appeals court dismissed an attempt by The GEO Group on Wednesday to appeal a trial judge’s non-existent decision two months before the company is scheduled to face a civil trial over alleged trafficking violations at the Aurora immigration detention facility it operates. The class-action lawsuit, which has been pending since 2014, alleges…
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Federal judge explores new sanctions against ex-Colorado judicial discipline director
A federal judge on Wednesday directed Colorado’s former judicial discipline director, for the third time this year, to explain why she should not sanction him for his latest conduct in his litigation against the state’s judiciary. Christopher S.P. Gregory, who served as the executive director of the Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline between 2022 and 2024, raised…
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10th Circuit orders second look at immunity for Kiowa County deputy over fatal vehicle crash
The Denver-based federal appeals court directed a trial judge on Tuesday to further analyze whether a Kiowa County deputy and the sheriff’s office may be sued for a fatal vehicle collision. The Colorado Governmental Immunity Act generally shields government entities and public employees from lawsuits for their actions, but there is an exception for injuries caused by emergency…
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10th Circuit upholds finding of no racial discrimination against family at Denver Chili’s
The Denver-based federal appeals court agreed on Wednesday that a Black plaintiff failed to show that a Chili’s manager’s request for her family to provide valid payment at the outset of their meal amounted to racial discrimination. Markesha Futrell-Smith filed claims under state and federal civil rights law, alleging a Denver Chili’s restaurant treated her…
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10th Circuit disagrees Sterling officer had no basis to arrest motorist who lacked insurance details
The Denver-based federal appeals court disagreed on Tuesday with a trial judge’s decision to bar evidence from a pat-down search from being used against a defendant. Federal prosecutors obtained an indictment of Jorge Sigala-Baray for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Police discovered the gun on Sigala-Baray after pulling him over for a broken tail lamp.…
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Federal judge green-lights immediate appeal in challenge to Colorado’s unclaimed property program
A federal judge took the unusual step last month of authorizing an immediate appeal of her decision to dismiss key components of a constitutional challenge to Colorado’s program for reuniting people with their unclaimed property. In February, U.S. District Court Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney determined that a pair of plaintiffs could not pursue their claim…
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10th Circuit orders new unlawful arrest trial against Colorado Springs officers
The Denver-based federal appeals court concluded on Friday that a trial judge inappropriately allowed jurors to see several unflattering video clips of a plaintiff being belligerent toward police officers during a trial to determine whether police violated her constitutional rights. Sasha Cronick pursued claims of unlawful search and arrest against Colorado Springs officers who handcuffed…
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State Supreme Court names next chief justice, 10th Circuit releases full-court decision | COURT CRAWL
Welcome to Court Crawl, Colorado Politics’ roundup of news from the third branch of government. The Colorado Supreme Court has named its next chief justice, and the Denver-based federal appeals court released a decision that overwhelmingly rejected one of its members’ views on criminal resentencings. Next chief justice • In 2020, with the retirement of…
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10th Circuit overturns framework for sentencing probation violators by 11-1
In a rare decision by all 12 of its full-time judges, the Denver-based federal appeals court ruled in a lopsided vote on Friday that one of its members created a sentencing process for probation violators that was out of step with Congress’s intent. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit analyzed how federal…
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Wrongfully deported man to be returned to U.S., Colorado federal judge orders
Colorado’s chief federal judge took the extraordinary step of directing the government on Tuesday to do everything it can to return a man it deported in violation of his order. At the same time, Colorado’s chief magistrate judge has set a hearing for next month to explore multiple instances in which the U.S. Department of…