magistrate judge michael hegarty
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Report: Colorado’s federal trial court sees time to trial tick up, magistrate judge consent remain low
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Colorado’s federal trial court saw a slight uptick in the number of civil cases filed in 2024 and also a slight increase in the average time for a case to reach trial, according to a statistical report compiled by U.S. Magistrate Judge N. Reid Neureiter. Neureiter also noted the percentage of cases handled exclusively by…
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‘Jury of one’: Federal judge speaks about how to handle non-jury trials
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In 2023 and 2024, Colorado’s federal district court saw a total of approximately 100 cases end in a trial. Most of the civil and criminal cases were resolved through a jury trial, but a smaller number took place through bench trials, meaning a judge rendered the ultimate decision. “What are the judges looking for? They’re…
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Colorado’s federal judges recused 200+ times in 4 years for variety of reasons
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Colorado’s federal judges issued orders recusing themselves from cases at least 203 times in four years, with reasons ranging from unspecified appearances of partiality to potential conflicts created by their prior employment and family connections. One judge also noted in recusing himself that if he ruled against an attorney who was his personal friend, “it…
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Federal judge permits human trafficking claims to proceed in lawsuit over 2022 World Cup construction
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A federal judge agreed last week that companies operating out of Colorado may be sued for allegedly participating in a human trafficking venture involving Filipino laborers who constructed facilities for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Fifty-three plaintiffs sued CH2M Hill Companies, Jacobs Engineering Group and related organizations that worked with the Qatari government to…
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‘Reality testing’ cases: Federal judge speaks about lessons learned in first year on the job
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Following her first 15 months on the job, U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathryn A. Starnella spoke on Tuesday about her evolving approach on the bench, including her expectations of attorneys who want her assistance in facilitating settlements of civil cases. Of the more than 3,000 cases filed in Colorado’s federal trial court annually, only a small…
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‘On the verge of a renaissance’: Colorado’s chief magistrate judge encourages use of settlement conferences
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Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael E. Hegarty told an audience of lawyers on Wednesday that despite his status as the most prolific settler of cases on Colorado’s federal trial court, his upcoming retirement should not be cause for concern that settlements will diminish. “I fully believe there are many cases that should be tried to…
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Federal judge speaks about ‘concerning trends’ of threats against judges, weighs in on judicial ethics
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Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael E. Hegarty spoke about a wide range of topics to a Lakewood audience on Tuesday, from judicial ethics and threats against judges to the role of religion in the courtroom. “In my world, you don’t even want the appearance of impropriety. You want to be above reproach. And so, we…
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‘Pick your battles’: Federal judge walks lawyers through do’s and don’ts of jury instructions
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Jury instructions should be relevant, accurate, brief and understandable. Those were the key points emphasized by U.S. District Court Senior Judge Christine M. Arguello on Friday during a presentation to lawyers at the federal courthouse in downtown Denver. She said the “straw that broke the camel’s back” and prompted her to speak publicly about the…
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Report: Colorado’s federal trial court saw drop in criminal trials, explosion in insurance verdicts
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The number of criminal jury trials dropped significantly in Colorado’s federal trial court, insurance cases made up half of all civil jury trials and self-represented litigants only filed one-quarter of all lawsuits last year. Those were the trends highlighted in an annual report of the U.S. District Court’s workload presented last week by Chief U.S.…
