weld county
-
Federal judge allows fired Weld County principal’s Christian discrimination claim to proceed
—
by
A former Weld County high school principal will be able to pursue his claim of religious-based retaliation against the superintendent who sought to fire him, a federal judge ruled last month. Brian Littlefield was a longtime school administrator who became the leader of Roosevelt High School in 2019. He alleged his 2021 termination was the…
-
Colorado Supreme Court eases path for local governments to sue over state decisions
—
by
The Colorado Supreme Court on Monday threw out a decades-old rule restricting the ability of local governments to sue over state decisions, finding “confusion has developed” over who can seek judicial review and when. At the same time, in a pair of decisions, the justices concluded Adams County School District 14 could not challenge the state…
-
Colorado appeals court issues rulings on drug money, Pueblo councilman’s vandalism
—
by
Colorado’s second-highest court on Thursday decided a pair of cases involving financial restitution to crime victims, finding defendants are not obligated to repay police departments for money used in drug purchases and also upholding a Pueblo council member’s duty to pay $3,800 for his vandalism. Under Colorado law, most convictions require judges to consider whether…
-
Colorado Supreme Court accepts Weld County criminal appeal
—
by
The Colorado Supreme Court announced on Tuesday that it will review a criminal case out of Weld County in which the jury instructions used to convict a man differed from the offense prosecutors charged him with. At least three of the court’s seven members must consent to take up an appeal. The justices also signaled…
-
Weld County attempted murder conviction overturned due to faulty jury instruction
—
by
Colorado’s second-highest court overturned a man’s attempted murder conviction and 32-year prison sentence because a Weld County jury actually convicted him of a non-existent crime. To be guilty of attempted murder, a defendant’s conduct must amount to a substantial step toward committing murder. However, for reasons that were unclear, Wade Michael Egloff’s jury was asked…
-
Colorado Supreme Court considers whether local governments may sue over state decisions
—
by
If local governments in Colorado are unable to challenge the state’s actions in court, it may be because of Martin. “Martin” is not a person, but rather a rule developed by the Colorado Supreme Court over several decades. As it stands, government entities cannot seek judicial review of a state agency’s act when they are…
-
Appeals court says Larimer County judge wrongly forced DA to prosecute assault
—
by
A Larimer County judge wrongly applied an unusual Colorado law when he overruled a decision by the district attorney’s office to not prosecute one participant in a multi-person brawl, the state’s second-highest court ruled last week. Colorado is one of four states that allows judges to review prosecutors’ decisions not to charge someone suspected of…
-
Colorado Supreme Court to review cases on racial bias in jury selection, misbehaving attorneys, cold case
—
by
The Colorado Supreme Court has recently announced it will review multiple cases, including criminal appeals, a dispute between federal judges over the meaning of state law and the ongoing saga of a disgraced lawyer weaponizing the legal system. At least three of the court’s seven members must consent to hear an appeal. Within the past…
-
Colorado Supreme Court, 4-3, orders new trial after judge blocked defense from questioning alternate suspect
—
by
In the face of strong evidence suggesting a woman sentenced to four years in prison for burglary did not actually commit the crime, the Colorado Supreme Court on Monday agreed a Weld County judge improperly barred the defense from questioning an alternate suspect during trial. The 4-3 decision held that the inability of Nora Hilda Rios-Vargas…
-
Colorado Supreme Court, 6-1, clarifies meaning of ‘prior’ DUI offense
—
by
The Colorado Supreme Court clarified on Monday that if someone is charged with multiple drunk driving offenses, what matters is which incident results in a conviction first, not necessarily which offense happens first. Under Colorado law, each subsequent impaired driving conviction receives a harsher sentence. Consequently, prior convictions are important for determining the severity of…
