civil rights
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Federal judge slams civil rights attorneys for ‘enabling and facilitating’ disobedience of court order
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A federal judge vented her frustration at a pair of civil rights attorneys last month for continuing to protest her finding that sanctions are warranted in the wake of their client’s refusal to turn over evidence to the defense. Sasha Cronick is pursuing claims of unreasonable search and seizure and false arrest against Colorado Springs…
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10th Circuit partially reinstates religious discrimination lawsuit of ex-Douglas County schools administrator
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A former high school administrator may pursue his claims of religious discrimination against the Douglas County School District, the federal appeals court based in Denver ruled on Tuesday. Corey McNellis worked at Ponderosa High School for 14 years and was the athletic director and assistant principal at the time of his termination in October 2020. According…
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10th Circuit agrees Colorado Springs postal worker failed to show discrimination, hostile work environment
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The federal appeals court based in Denver agreed last month that a Black U.S. Postal Service employee in Colorado Springs failed to credibly allege the offensive conduct of a supervisor rose to the level of racial discrimination or a hostile work environment. Paul P. Nelson, who worked for the Postal Service for 23 years, filed…
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10th Circuit says prisoner shot at courthouse cannot sue without complaining to prison first
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The federal appeals court based in Denver ruled on Tuesday that an incarcerated man shot by a corrections officer during his courthouse appearance was required to first file an internal prison grievance before suing for excessive force, even though he was outside the prison at the time. In reaching its conclusion, a three-judge panel of…
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Susan Prose talks about surprises, self-represented plaintiffs and settlements in first year as magistrate judge
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U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Prose, speaking about her first year as a federal judge on Thursday, described multiple eye-opening experiences on the bench, including the revelation that some litigants are not actually seeking a speedy trial. “I’ve been surprised to see how frequently folks actually don’t want to go to trial. It’s not just defendants…
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‘Opportunity to level the playing field’: Federal judges deliver pro bono pitch to lawyers
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Two years ago, U.S. Magistrate Judge Kristen L. Mix faced a disturbing set of allegations from a prisoner in federal court. The man, incarcerated at the Colorado State Penitentiary, alleged he was a prosecution witness in the trial of another inmate who committed murder. He asked to be housed in protective custody, but instead the…
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10th Circuit agrees ex-DPS employee failed to prove retaliatory firing
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The federal appeals court based in Colorado agreed last month that a former Denver Public Schools employee failed to show how her termination was connected to her act of speaking out against racial discrimination. Barbara Lindsay worked at Emily Griffith Technical College and participated in the 2019 hiring process for a new school director. She…
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Jury to decide ex-Weld County schools superintendent’s retaliation claim
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A jury will decide whether Weld County School District RE-5J unlawfully retaliated against its former superintendent because she stood up against multiple incidents of racism, sexism and homophobia involving one of the district’s principals. U.S. District Court Judge Nina Y. Wang denied the district’s request to resolve the case in its favor without a trial, writing in…
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The 20-minute lifeline: Colorado’s federal court eyes a new program to aid those behind bars | COVER STORY
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With nearly two dozen state prisons and multiple federal facilities in Colorado, federal judges routinely hear lawsuits from incarcerated men and women alleging violations of their rights. The claims range from excessive force and indifference to medical needs to unconstitutional infringements on prisoners’ religious exercise. For the most part, the plaintiffs do not have a…
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Federal judge to Congress: Roll back Supreme Court’s limitations on suing federal officials
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In an extraordinary move, a federal judge in Colorado has called upon Congress to roll back the U.S. Supreme Court’s broad limitations on suing federal officials for constitutional violations. U.S. District Court Senior Judge William J. Martínez, in an Aug. 3 order, criticized the fact that prisoners, if they are in a federal facility, are largely…
