r. brooke jackson
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Judge tosses suit by ‘high priestess’ of cannabis-focused church against Colorado Springs police
A federal judge confirmed last month that neither Colorado Springs police nor the city itself was liable for any constitutional violation, tossing a lawsuit from the leader of a cannabis-focused ministry who was unhappy with officers’ presence on her property. Candace Sgaggio, the “high priestess” for Green Faith Ministry, claimed law enforcement personnel violated her…
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10th Circuit upholds jury verdict for Xcel Energy in discrimination lawsuit
The federal appeals court based in Denver has upheld a jury’s verdict finding Xcel Energy did not discriminate against a former worker on the basis of her race and sex by failing to promote her. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit reviewed a narrow aspect of the case:…
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No new trial for man convicted of pushing wife off cliff, judge finds defense was effective
A man convicted of murder for pushing his second wife off a cliff in Rocky Mountain National Park will not receive a new trial, after a federal judge rejected claims that his defense lawyer at trial was constitutionally ineffective. Harold Henthorn is serving a life sentence after a jury found him guilty in 2015 of…
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10th Circuit reinstates student’s First Amendment lawsuit over anti-Semitic ‘joke’
A Cherry Creek High School student has credibly alleged school officials violated his First Amendment rights when they expelled him for an offensive social media post, the federal appeals court based in Denver decided on Wednesday. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit reinstated the lawsuit of a teenager identified as C.G., largely…
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10th Circuit divided on whether judge sentenced Denver man too harshly
When Rhyan Littlejohn-Conner appeared for sentencing before U.S. District Court Senior Judge R. Brooke Jackson in June of last year, he faced a range of 84 to 105 months in prison for the crime of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. Littlejohn-Conner’s attorney asked the judge for a lesser sentence, saying his client’s use…
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Federal judge finds Calhan officials likely engaged in ‘some misconduct,’ but no federal violation
The Town of Calhan and various members of a politically-involved family are not liable for violations of federal antitrust law or the U.S. Constitution, but a federal judge nonetheless believed that “some misconduct” occurred during the passage of local recreational vehicle park regulations. The lawsuit brought by Van Sant & Co. against Calhan and members…
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10th Circuit rules against Arvada religious school in employment discrimination appeal
The federal appeals court based in Denver has rejected an Arvada church’s argument that religious institutions are entitled to immunity from being sued for certain instances of employment-related retaliation. In a first-of-its-kind ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, a panel of judges decided, 2-1, that it had no ability to…
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U.S. Senate confirms Charlotte Sweeney as Colorado’s first openly gay federal judge
Charlotte N. Sweeney will be the next federal judge in Colorado, following a Wednesday U.S. Senate vote of 48-46 to confirm her. Sweeney, a workers’ rights attorney, will be the first openly gay federal judge in Colorado. Her confirmation also marks the first time that three women will simultaneously serve as trial judges on the…
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Expulsion for student’s anti-Semitic Snapchat at issue in 10th Circuit oral arguments
Three federal judges appeared to believe on Wednesday that a Cherry Creek High School student who was expelled in 2019 over an offensive Snapchat message had plausibly claimed that the school officials’ discipline infringed on his free speech rights. A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit heard oral arguments in…
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Federal judge finds no improper influence on case from colleague’s financial conflict
A federal judge has found his colleague’s undisclosed financial conflict of interest had no influence over the ruling in a debt collection lawsuit against Wells Fargo. U.S. District Court Senior Judge John L. Kane, without prompting from any party to the lawsuit, issued a decision on Friday following his independent review of Dennis Obduskey’s 2015…