magistrate judge maritza dominguez braswell
-
Judge declines to dismiss lawsuit of El Paso County jail detainee in extended solitary confinement
A federal judge has declined to dismiss a constitutional rights lawsuit from an incarcerated man who alleged he was improperly held in solitary confinement for more than 200 days in the El Paso County jail. Willis Earl Jenkins Jr., representing himself, filed suit against two jail employees for allegedly confining him alone for 23 hours…
-
Judge declines to dismiss lawsuit of El Paso County jail detainee in extended solitary confinement
A federal judge has declined to dismiss a constitutional rights lawsuit from an incarcerated man who alleged he was improperly held in solitary confinement for more than 200 days in the El Paso County jail. Willis Earl Jenkins Jr., representing himself, filed suit against two jail employees for allegedly confining him alone for 23 hours…
-
Colorado’s federal magistrate judges unveil standardized courtroom procedures for first time
Colorado’s federal magistrate judges presented their proposal for a first-ever set of joint courtroom procedures to an audience of lawyers last week, and emphasized litigants will get a speedier resolution to their case if they agree to let a magistrate judge handle it. Several months after a group of life-tenured district judges on Colorado’s federal…
-
Colorado’s federal magistrate judges unveil standardized courtroom procedures for first time
Colorado’s federal magistrate judges presented their proposal for a first-ever set of joint courtroom procedures to an audience of lawyers last week, and emphasized litigants will get a speedier resolution to their case if they agree to let a magistrate judge handle it. Several months after a group of life-tenured district judges on Colorado’s federal…
-
Colorado Supreme Court committee votes to explore role of AI in practice of law
An advisory committee to the Colorado Supreme Court recently created a subcommittee that will evaluate existing rules barring the unauthorized practice of law to determine if changes are necessary to accommodate emerging artificial intelligence-powered legal tools. The March 1 vote of the Advisory Committee on the Practice of Law came at the request of the…
-
‘AI won’: Judges caution lawyers to educate themselves about artificial intelligence in the law
A panel of federal and state judges last week told a group of attorneys, in explicit terms, artificial intelligence is here to stay and they must educate themselves about how to use it responsibly. “Here’s how I’ve been trying to think about this: Most of us drive cars. I have a car that has a…
-
Colorado’s federal trial court rolls out ‘chief magistrate judge’ position
Colorado’s federal trial court recently inaugurated a new leadership position, “chief magistrate judge,” in response to a request from the entire magistrate judge bench. Michael E. Hegarty, the most senior magistrate judge who joined the court in 2006, will be the first to hold the title of chief. “Judge Michael Hegarty is one of the…
-
Judge sanctions woman suing Colorado Springs police, finds she withheld evidence
A federal judge last week authorized financial sanctions against a woman and her lawyers who are suing Colorado Springs police for a constitutional violation, finding she disobeyed court orders and failed to hand over evidence to the defense. Sasha Cronick is pursuing claims of unreasonable search and seizure and false arrest against the officers who…
-
Colorado Springs’ federal judge to mediate Woodland Park schools free speech suit
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…
-
‘An Energizer Bunny’: Susan Prose ceremonially sworn in as federal judge
The last time the federal government shut down, many employees needed to halt their work until Congress and the White House resolved the funding dispute. For Susan Prose, a lawyer with the U.S. Attorney’s Office at the time, it was reportedly her “personal hell.” Kevin Traskos, a supervisor in the office, said after a few…