douglas county
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Appeals court overturns Douglas County judge’s unlawful $22k restitution order
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A Douglas County judge ordered a defendant to pay crime victim restitution eight months beyond the legal deadline and nearly two years after the Colorado Supreme Court warned trial judges to follow the law, the state’s second-highest court ruled on Thursday. The Court of Appeals also noted former District Court Judge Patricia Herron “recharacterized history”…
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10th Circuit reinstates constitutional rights lawsuit against Douglas County child welfare workers
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The federal appeals court based in Denver reinstated a father’s lawsuit on Thursday against two Douglas County child welfare workers, who allegedly violated his constitutional rights in their investigation of suspected child abuse. A three-judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit noted a trial judge had previously dismissed the lawsuit…
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Douglas County School District to close 3 schools in 2026
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Amid a statewide decline in student enrollment and other Colorado school closures, the Douglas County School District plans to close up to three of its elementary schools in the near future, according to the district. The school district is considering “pairing” and “consolidating” six elementary schools within Highlands Ranch — a municipality with more than…
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Douglas County sex offense convictions overturned because judge let biased juror serve
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Colorado’s second-highest court last week reversed a man’s sexual assault convictions because a Douglas County judge allowed a biased juror to serve. Jurors convicted Dennis Floyd Ladd of multiple sex offenses in 2022 and he received an indefinite sentence of at least 25 years. During jury selection, his lawyer asked the jury pool if they would…
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Prosecutorial misconduct, error-prone judge’s decision prompt appeals court to overturn homicide conviction
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Misconduct by two prosecutors and a Douglas County judge’s decision to bar crucial testimony prompted Colorado’s second-highest court on Thursday to reverse a woman’s vehicular homicide conviction. Jurors convicted Jennifer Lea Woodruff of killing her coworker, Christopher Roberts, in a car accident along Interstate 25. The defense’s theory was that Woodruff’s medical condition caused her…
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Colorado Supreme Court overrides regulators, orders admission of attorney despite concerns
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The Colorado Supreme Court last month ordered an attorney be admitted to practice law over the recommendation of a regulatory board that concluded his “gamesmanship” during the admissions process continued to raise concerns about his character. Matthew Tobin Arnold sought to join the Colorado bar following his 2022 law school graduation. However, during multiple stages…
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Appeals court divided over meaning of judge’s parenting order
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Colorado’s second-highest court was split last week over whether to uphold an Arapahoe County judge’s parenting order, with two appellate judges interpreting the language differently than the parties and the third appellate judge. In the underlying case, the county filed a child neglect case on behalf of a 4-year-old girl. At an October 2023 hearing,…
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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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Appeals court rules man cannot use ex-wife’s 16-year-old email to avoid $233,000 in child support
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Colorado’s second-highest court ruled last week that a man could not rely on his ex-wife’s onetime statement that “you don’t need to pay me child support” to get out of paying $233,000 over the subsequent 16 years. A three-judge panel for the Court of Appeals evaluated for the first time whether James Gallo could invoke…
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Douglas County approves senior transportation services grant, but at less than requested
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Douglas County Commissioners on Tuesday approved a $312,728 grant for providing transport services to seniors and people with disabilities. However, the grant is more than $250,000 less than what the county’s Community Development Department requested for six months ago — thus severely limiting the number of one-way trips provided for people who need the service. Back…