Tag: judge scott matheson
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10th Circuit dismisses paralyzed man’s claims against Colorado Springs, officer
The Denver-based federal appeals court upheld the dismissal last week of a man’s excessive force claims against the city of Colorado Springs and the officer who tased him, causing him to fall down a sloped surface and break his neck. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit declined to…
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Federal judge once again dismisses lawsuit of prison employee offended by DEI training
A federal judge dismissed a second lawsuit on Monday brought by a former Colorado Department of Corrections employee who was offended by an equity training module and alleged it created a hostile work environment. In 2023, U.S. District Court Judge Nina Y. Wang dismissed Joshua F. Young’s first lawsuit on the grounds that he failed…
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How a Harris or Trump presidency might shape Colorado’s federal courts
In the past four years, President Joe Biden has made seven appointments to the federal trial and appeals courts headquartered in Colorado, with his appointees now constituting a majority of active judges on the state’s U.S. District Court. The next president will similarly have a chance to make his or her mark on the district…
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10th Circuit upholds dismissal of Aurora councilwoman’s lawsuit
The federal appeals court based in Denver agreed on Monday that an Aurora city council member had not shown a violation of her constitutional rights occurred when she became the subject of a social worker’s false report of child abuse. Councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky sued Arapahoe County, the department of human services and Robin Niceta, who was…
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Federal judges’ financial disclosures reveal frequent travelers, income sources, minor errors
A review of judges’ financial disclosures for the federal trial and appeals courts headquartered in Denver reveals a range of income sources, a handful of judges who are frequent travelers to conferences and seminars, plus one judge’s minor — but repeated — errors in reporting. Pursuant to federal law, judges must file annual financial disclosures plus periodic…
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10th Circuit dismisses constitutional challenge to Colorado’s charitable solicitation law
The federal appeals court based in Denver dismissed a constitutional challenge to a portion of Colorado’s law governing paid nonprofit solicitors, determining on Friday that the lawsuit against Secretary of State Jena Griswold was now moot. Colorado’s legislature enacted the Charitable Solicitations Act after finding fraudulent solicitations on behalf of charities were a “widespread practice”…
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10th Circuit agrees Colorado Springs postal worker failed to show discrimination, hostile work environment
The federal appeals court based in Denver agreed last month that a Black U.S. Postal Service employee in Colorado Springs failed to credibly allege the offensive conduct of a supervisor rose to the level of racial discrimination or a hostile work environment. Paul P. Nelson, who worked for the Postal Service for 23 years, filed…
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Divided 10th Circuit orders further evaluation of legality for $6.4 million judgment in cannabis case
The federal appeals court based in Denver ruled on Monday that a Maryland man may be required to pay $6.4 million after all for breaching a contract with his intended partner in a cannabis company, so long as it does not require the manufacture or sale of marijuana. By 2-1, a three-judge panel of the…
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10th Circuit rejects Tina Peters’ request to halt Mesa County prosecution
The federal appeals court based in Denver agreed on Friday that former Mesa County clerk Tina Peters had not shown why its intervention was warranted in her pending state-level prosecution related to election equipment tampering. Peters, a Republican who unsuccessfully ran for secretary of state in 2022 and GOP party chair in 2023, is set to face…
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Divided 10th Circuit keeps ‘zombie’ claims alive against federal prison officials
The federal appeals court based in Denver rejected the appeal of prison officials accused of using excessive force against an incarcerated man, reasoning earlier this month that even if the U.S. Supreme Court’s precedent means the claims will ultimately fail, an immediate appeal was not the answer. The appeal from the Federal Bureau of Prisons…