judge regina rodriguez
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Judge orders noncitizen released from immigration detention, finds government misapplied law
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A federal judge concluded the government was likely wrong to detain a noncitizen without the chance for a release hearing, and ordered him to be let out of immigration custody on Friday. At the same time, U.S. District Court Judge Regina M. Rodriguez declined to green-light Nestor Esai Mendoza Gutierrez’s request to turn his lawsuit…
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10th Circuit weighs courts’ authority to block Colorado legislative decorum rules
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The Denver-based federal appeals court questioned on Wednesday whether the rules of decorum governing public comments at Colorado legislative committee hearings are beyond the reach of the judiciary, thanks to the concept of legislative immunity. During oral arguments to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, the judges explored the hypothetical restrictions lawmakers…
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Federal judge dismisses challenge to Jeffco overnight field trip policy’s reliance on gender identity
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A federal judge on Thursday dismissed a constitutional challenge to the overnight field trip policy of Jeffco Public Schools, filed by multiple families who objected to rooming assignments based on students’ gender identities as opposed to their sex assigned at birth. U.S. District Court Judge Regina M. Rodriguez concluded the 14th Amendment’s protection of a…
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What’s in a name? 2 federal judges hold ‘hearings’ differently than advertised
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Soon after her appointment to Colorado’s U.S. District Court in 2021, Judge Regina M. Rodriguez implemented a new procedure for handling motions for summary judgment — meaning one party in a civil lawsuit is asking to end the case in their favor without a trial. She began requiring lawyers to identify, in chart format, all of…
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10th Circuit clarifies what judges should do when juries turn in conflicting verdicts
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The Denver-based federal appeals court put judges and lawyers on notice Monday that if a jury produces a verdict too confusing to interpret, a judge may ask jurors to reconsider their decision. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit acknowledged its prior decisions did not permit judges to let juries clarify certain kinds…
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10th Circuit partially reinstates fired nursing home worker’s lawsuit over COVID-19 vaccination
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The federal appeals court based in Denver ruled on Tuesday that a former nursing home employee can pursue her claim of religious discrimination against her employer for failing to grant a religious exemption to its COVID-19 vaccination requirement. Diann R. Bolonchuk alleged she was an 18-year employee of Cherry Creek Nursing Center/Nexion Health when it…
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Sentencing practices, jury pet peeves and more: Federal judges give peek behind the curtain
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At a gathering of federal judges and attorneys last week, one member of the bench disclosed that she has instituted a new practice of meeting with criminal defendants after they finish their incarceration to discuss their plans for success on supervised release. “It’s not an interview, it’s a dialogue,” said U.S. District Court Judge Charlotte…
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Federal judge finds no constitutional violation of inmate’s right to religious diet
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A federal judge ended a 5-year-old lawsuit against the state last week by agreeing an incarcerated man had not shown the religious diet served to him in prison violated his rights. Russell M. Boles in 2019 sued the Colorado Department of Corrections, the food service administrator and a rabbi contracted to consult about kosher diets…
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Federal judge dismisses Denver parent’s lawsuit seeking to put ‘straight pride’ flag in classrooms
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A federal judge on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit from a Denver Public Schools parent who sought to force the district to honor his request to display “straight pride” flags in his children’s classrooms. Nathan Feldman brought suit on behalf of himself and his two children, alleging discrimination and a violation of the First Amendment stemming…
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Federal judges’ financial disclosures reveal frequent travelers, income sources, minor errors
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A review of judges’ financial disclosures for the federal trial and appeals courts headquartered in Denver reveals a range of income sources, a handful of judges who are frequent travelers to conferences and seminars, plus one judge’s minor — but repeated — errors in reporting. Pursuant to federal law, judges must file annual financial disclosures plus periodic…
