free speech
-
Appeals court rules Colorado free speech law applies in eviction cases, urges legislature to reconsider
—
by
Colorado’s second-highest court ruled for the first time last week that a 2019 law intended to protect First Amendment activity from litigation does apply to eviction proceedings and to claims across the board, not simply to defamation lawsuits. However, in an unusual move, a three-judge panel for the Court of Appeals explicitly called on lawmakers…
-
10th Circuit upholds injunction removing access restrictions on DPS critic
—
by
The federal appeals court based in Colorado agreed on Tuesday that Denver Public Schools could not restrict a man’s access to district property or bar him from his volunteer football coaching position, despite the district’s concern about harassment and bullying directed toward employees. DPS sent a letter to Brandon Pryor in October 2022 outlining his…
-
Colorado AG, Supreme Court justice speak at summit about challenges facing democracy
—
by
At an event last month broadly touching on the challenges facing American democracy, Attorney General Phil Weiser and Justice Melissa Hart provided their views on the dangers of artificial intelligence, digital speech and the recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions curtailing longstanding protections for abortion rights and affirmative action. Weiser explained that he is most concerned…
-
Denver judge rejects Trump motion to dismiss ballot disqualification case mid-trial
—
by
The Denver judge responsible for deciding whether Donald Trump is constitutionally ineligible to appear on Colorado’s 2024 primary ballot denied the former president’s mid-hearing motion on Wednesday to end the case in his favor. Since Monday, lawyers for the four Republican and two unaffiliated voters who filed the case against Trump have presented evidence and…
-
Denver judge rejects Trump’s attempt to dismiss ballot disqualification lawsuit
—
by
A Denver judge on Wednesday rejected former President Donald Trump’s attempt to dismiss a lawsuit that seeks to disqualify him from the 2024 ballot, concluding that a recent Colorado law enacted to protect free speech did not apply. Six Republican and unaffiliated voters filed suit against Secretary of State Jena Griswold to force her to…
-
Douglas County sheriff’s alleged political firing of subordinate to be heard by jury, judge rules
—
by
A jury will decide whether the former Douglas County sheriff fired his subordinate for making a political Facebook post in the middle of the 2020 election, and whether the sheriff’s office has raised a valid defense to terminating her without the proper process. Holly Kluth, a 32-year employee of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, sued…
-
Colorado Springs’ federal judge to mediate Woodland Park schools free speech suit
—
by
Lawyers for the Woodland Park School District and the local teachers’ union agreed on Wednesday to mediate their dispute over a policy that allegedly infringes on employees’ constitutional right to free speech. Last month, the Woodland Park Education Association and its president, Nathaniel Owen, filed suit against the district, seeking to strike down a prohibition on employees…
-
Federal judge dismisses religious discrimination lawsuit of ex-Douglas County schools administrator
—
by
A former Douglas County high school administrator did not credibly allege he was discriminated or retaliated against because of his status as a Christian, a federal judge decided this week in dismissing the lawsuit. Corey McNellis worked at Ponderosa High School for 14 years and was the athletic director and assistant principal at the time…
-
Appeals court allows ex-Boulder council candidate’s defamation lawsuit to proceed against activist
—
by
Colorado’s second-highest court more precisely defined the contours of defamatory online speech last week, allowing a former Boulder City Council candidate’s lawsuit to proceed against a political activist who created an impersonation Twitter account that linked to unflattering material about the candidate. At the same time, a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals declined…
-
Colorado appeals court sides with customer sued over negative online review
—
by
A series of statements a Colorado Springs woman made online and through the media about a plumbing company are protected under the law and do not amount to defamation, Colorado’s second-highest court ruled last month. The decision from the Court of Appeals is the latest to address the tension between customers who leave critical online…