justice monica marquez
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Man who asked mom to lie to parole officer can stand convicted, Colorado Supreme Court decides
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Attempting to influence a public servant is a crime that can include a defendant’s use of a third party to convey false information, the Colorado Supreme Court decided on Monday. There was no dispute that Michael Thomas Hupke asked his mother to lie to his parole officer on his behalf. Further, Hupke acknowledged Mesa County…
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Children’s Colorado must resume care to transgender plaintiffs, state Supreme Court rules by 5-2
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The Colorado Supreme Court, by a 5-2 vote, ordered Children’s Hospital Colorado on Monday to resume providing certain medical services to a group of transgender plaintiffs, which it had ceased in the face of funding threats from the federal government last year. The unusual appeal before the Supreme Court stemmed from a trial judge’s rejection…
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Colorado justices skeptical of defendant’s challenge to flawed jury instruction
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Members of the Colorado Supreme Court appeared willing to uphold a defendant’s vehicular eluding conviction on Tuesday, suggesting that an incorrectly worded jury instruction was not an obvious and harmful error in light of the defense’s choice not to dispute the evidence. A Denver jury convicted Jeffery Sloan of killing Yasir Hasan and Mark Karla by running…
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Colorado’s incoming chief appeals judge lays out agenda | APPELLATE UPDATE
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The incoming chief judge of Colorado’s Court of Appeals told lawyers on Friday that his goals for his four-year term include figuring out why criminal cases are taking nearly 1.5 years on average to reach appellate judges’ desks. “Criminal briefing is one of my biggest focuses, to be blunt,” said Judge Ted C. Tow III.…
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Lifetime sex offender registration not ‘punishment,’ Colorado justices say
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The Colorado Supreme Court concluded on Monday that lifetime sex offender registration is not cruel and unusual punishment because it is not “punishment.” At the same time, two members urged lawmakers to heed the advice of the Sex Offender Management Board and adopt a new, more accurate system of measuring a person’s risk of recidivism.…
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Colorado justices, lawyers speak with rural students through outreach program
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Members of the Colorado Supreme Court appeared before students from eight rural schools on April 16 to hear a pair of cases, field questions, and mark the first time the state’s newest justice participated in the long-running program. “I had such a unique opportunity to get to work with so many people in my career.…
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Colorado justices skeptical of snowboarder’s bid to revive injury lawsuit after signing new waiver
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The Colorado Supreme Court seemed to agree on Thursday that a plaintiff is not entitled to continue his snowboarding injury lawsuit because he purchased another pass in the middle of litigation that released all past legal claims. “It says you’re releasing anything which has happened up to now. It seems pretty plain language what it…
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Colorado Supreme Court concerned about police overreach in interrogations
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Some members of the Colorado Supreme Court appeared hesitant on Tuesday to endorse the ability of police to interrogate a suspect after they have obtained a court order authorizing only the collection of physical evidence. Under Colorado’s criminal rules, law enforcement may obtain an order for “nontestimonial identification,” allowing them to pursue a person’s fingerprints, blood specimen,…
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Colorado Supreme Court considers new requirement for leaving-the-scene convictions
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In 2006, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that leaving the scene of an accident resulting in serious injury is a “strict liability” offense, meaning a person is guilty solely through their conduct, without the need for prosecutors to prove the defendant’s mental state. Now, 20 years later, one defendant is asking the Supreme Court to…
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Colorado Supreme Court weighs transgender services case involving Children’s Hospital and federal threats
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Some members of the Colorado Supreme Court expressed discomfort on April 14 with having to decide whether to order Children’s Hospital Colorado to resume providing certain services to transgender children, which could trigger a “death sentence” if the federal government imposes consequences. “I’m assuming there’s no middle ground here with the federal administration, in terms…

