jury trial
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Federal judge sends claims of 13 plaintiffs to trial over police response to 2020 demonstrations
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A federal judge last week agreed 13 people injured in the police response to 2020 demonstrations in Denver will have their claims of constitutional violations decided by jury trial. Numerous judges in the past five years have found Denver or its officers may be held liable for excessive force or First Amendment violations in a series…
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Appeals court overturns $4 million jury award for elderly woman subject to Denver SWAT search
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Colorado’s second-highest court last week overturned a jury’s roughly $4 million award to an elderly Denver woman who was subject to a SWAT raid on her home after police believed, incorrectly, a stolen iPhone would be found inside. In ordering a new civil trial, a three-judge Court of Appeals panel imposed a new burden on…
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10th Circuit rejects claim that judge pressured defense attorney
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The Denver-based federal appeals court concluded last week that a trial judge’s comments urging a criminal defense lawyer to be more cooperative in the presentation of evidence did not negatively affect the defendant’s right to a fair trial. Prior to trial, lawyers for both sides may agree which pieces of evidence are authentic — meaning they…
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Colorado Supreme Court approves new rules for child welfare cases, with tweaks to jury trial right
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The Colorado Supreme Court adopted on Monday a package of revisions to the rules governing child welfare cases, while modifying one section that governs when a parent surrenders their right to have a jury decide if their child is neglected. Earlier this month, the justices held a hearing to evaluate the long-running group effort to…
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Colorado justices hear about broad support for juvenile rules package, with one legal hitch
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Members of the Colorado Supreme Court heard on Wednesday that a long-running group effort to revise the rules of juvenile procedure has culminated in an acceptable package of changes — including a proposed answer to one disputed legal question pending before the justices. During a public comment hearing and in written remarks submitted beforehand, members of the court…
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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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Colorado Springs to face trial over adequacy of police training, federal judge rules
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The city of Colorado Springs will stand trial alongside four of its officers, a federal judge ruled on Thursday, so a jury can determine if a man’s constitutional rights were violated when police chased him inside his home without a warrant and restrained him as he lay on the floor dying. Previously, U.S. District Court Senior…
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Colorado Supreme Court retracts decision recognizing right to jury trial in eviction cases
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The Colorado Supreme Court took the extraordinary step on Monday of retracting its two-month-old decision recognizing tenants have the right to a jury trial in certain eviction disputes. In a three-page, unsigned order, the Supreme Court explained its prior opinion “rested on a factual premise that the Court has now been advised was inaccurate.” Rather…
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Colorado Supreme Court to hear appeals on campaign disclosures, right to jury trial in child neglect cases
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The Colorado Supreme Court announced on Monday it will consider when groups that advocate on ballot initiatives were required to register and disclose their election spending under a pre-2022 version of state law. At least three of the court’s seven members must agree to hear a case. The justices will also evaluate whether a father…