judge charlotte sweeney
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Federal judge skeptical of government’s assurances that alleged ‘alien enemies’ will receive process
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A federal judge on Monday signaled she is not fully prepared to take the government at its word that it would provide appropriate procedures for non-citizens to contest their removals under an 18th Century “alien enemies” law and instead said the government’s recent actions suggested due process would not actually happen. U.S. District Court Judge…
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Federal judge advances convicted man’s lawsuit over $3,406 still in Denver’s possession
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A federal judge this month agreed an incarcerated man may proceed to sue Denver and the commander of its major crimes division for refusing to return $3,406 that authorities confiscated after his arrest 20 years ago. Jurors convicted Brian Hicks of murder in 2011. Originally, police arrested Hicks in 2005 and charged him with attempted…
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Federal judge temporarily prohibits removal of ‘alien enemies’ as detainees challenge Trump proclamation
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A federal judge on Monday clarified that she is temporarily halting the government from removing all Venezuelan nationals from Colorado pursuant to a presidential proclamation invoking an 18th Century law against “alien enemies.” U.S. District Court Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney, a Joe Biden appointee, prohibited the removal of those who would be covered by a…
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10th Circuit opens door for class-action challenge to Colorado’s unclaimed property program
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The Denver-based federal appeals court reinstated constitutional rights claims on Friday against Colorado’s treasurer, potentially opening the door to a class-action lawsuit over how the state has set up its process for reuniting people with their unclaimed property. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit ruled that two plaintiffs…
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Federal judge to Elizabeth School District: Put banned books back by weekend
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A federal judge on Thursday refused to put her prior ruling on hold while an appeal plays out, and instead ordered Elizabeth School District to return 19 restricted books to library shelves by Saturday. U.S. District Court Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney rejected the Elbert County district’s claims that her original order was unfair, “breathtakingly broad”…
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Federal judge lets prisoner’s claim proceed over strip search video shared with others
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A federal judge agreed last week that an incarcerated man’s claims could proceed against two state corrections employees, alleging they retaliated against him for complaining about recorded strip searches and also showed the video of one search to inmates and staff. Representing himself, Ryan James Griffin filed suit based on multiple strip searches he underwent…
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Federal judge dismisses claim against coordinator of prison training exercise gone wrong
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A federal judge ruled on Tuesday that the alleged coordinator of a prison training exercise could not be held liable for excessive force when the simulation took a turn for the worse and employees actually attacked each other. As part of a 2019 hostage training at Federal Correctional Complex, Florence, prison employees punched, shot simulated bullets…
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Judge reluctantly lets appeal proceed in case of prisoner who missed SCOTUS deadline due to library closure
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A federal judge on Wednesday declined to let a jury trial proceed as scheduled and instead opted to let the Denver-based federal appeals court decide if two prison employees have immunity in an incarcerated man’s constitutional rights lawsuit. U.S. District Court Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney previously ruled a jury should decide if law librarian Yvette…
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‘Partisan or political’: Federal judge orders Elizabeth School District to return 19 banned books
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A federal judge on Wednesday concluded the Elizabeth School District likely violated the First Amendment rights of students and authors by removing 19 books from school libraries because the topics conflicted with the school board’s conservative vision. U.S. District Court Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney granted a preliminary injunction ordering the district to return the books…
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2 Biden appointees from Colorado take center stage as SCOTUS hears conversion therapy case
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The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on Monday to accept an appeal out of Colorado questioning the constitutionality of a law restricting “conversion therapy” for minors turns the spotlight toward two relatively new federal judges who previously sided with the state. In the case of Chiles v. Salazar, Colorado Springs counselor Kaley Chiles alleged Colorado’s 2019 ban violated her…