Cruz v. Farmers Insurance Exchange.

No. 21-1069. 8/3/2022. D.Colo. Judge Moritz. Employment Discrimination—42 USC § 1981—Summary Judgment—FRE 801(d)(2)(D) (Admission by Non-Party Opponent)—Direct versus Circumstantial Evidence.

Dansie v. Union Pacific Railroad Co.

No. 20-4054. 8/2/2022. D.Utah. Judge Carson. Americans with Disabilities Act—Interactive Reasonable Accommodation Process—Family Medical Leave Act—Request for Supplemental Jury Instructions.

United States v. McCrary.

No. 21-6047. 7/26/2022. W.D.Okla. Judge Ebel. Fentanyl Possession and Distribution—Sentencing Factors—Procedural and Substantive Unreasonableness Challenges to Sentence—Appellate Waiver.

United States v. Hernandez-Calvillo.

No. 19-3210. 7/13/2022. D.Kan. Judge Moritz. Constitutionality of Federal Immigration Statute—Encouraging or Inducing a Noncitizen to Reside in the United States—First Amendment Overbreadth.

Irizarry v. Yehia.

No. 21-1247. 7/11/2022. D.Colo. Judge Matheson. 42 USC § 1983—First Amendment Retaliation Claim—Motion to Dismiss—Qualified Immunity.

United States v. Reed.

No. 21-2073.  7/7/2022. D.N.M. Judge Baldock. Felon in Possession of a Firearm—Armed Career Criminal Act—Voluntariness of Plea—Alleged Ineffective Assistance of Counsel—District Court Jurisdiction of Predicate Felonies Determination—Procedural Due Process.

C1.G v. Siegfried.

No. 21-1320. 7/6/2022. D.Colo. Judge Kelly. High School Suspension and Expulsion—42 USC § 1983—First Amendment—Fourteenth Amendment Procedural Due Process—Motion to Dismiss.

Finch v. Rapp.

No. 20-3132. 7/5/2022. D.Kan. Judge Tymkovich. 42 USC § 1983—Excessive Force Claim—Summary Judgment—Qualified Immunity—Monell Claim.

United States v. Armajo.

No. 21-8021. 6/23/2022. D.Wyo. Judge Seymour. FRE 404(b)—FRE 403—Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury—Self-Defense Claim.

Disciplinary Case Summaries for Matters Resulting in Diversion and Private Admonition

Great Northern Properties v. Extraction Oil and Gas.

2022 COA 110. No. 21CA0700. Quiet Title—Conveyances—Centerline Presumption—Mineral Estates.

Salazar v. Public Trust Institute.

2022 COA 109. No. 21CA0601. Statute of Limitations—Limitations for Persons Under Disability—Tolling.

M.G. Dyess, Inc. v. MarkWest Liberty Midstream & Resources, L.L.C.

2022 COA 108. No. 20CA1742. Right to Jury Trial—Trial by Jury or the Court—Advisory Jury—Contracts—Quantum Meruit.

People v. Rodriguez-Morelos.

2022 COA 107. No. 19CA0915. Identity Theft—Personal Identifying Information—Financial Identifying Information.

Cisneros v. Elder.

2022 COA 106. No. 19CA0546. Colorado Governmental Immunity Act—Waiver of Immunity—Operation of a Jail.

Gorostieta v. People.

2022 CO 41. No. 21SC441. Defendant’s Identity as Element of Crime or Sentence Enhancer.

People v. Raider.

2022 CO 40. No. 21SC119.  Fourth Amendment and Reasonableness in General—Necessity of and Preference for Warrant, and Exceptions in General—Right to Sample or Conduct Test—Initiating Procedure.

Argo v. Hemphill.

2022 COA 104. No. 21CA0897. Transfer of Real Property on Death—Vesting of Ownership in Grantee-Beneficiary—Lease Agreement—Unrecorded Interests.

Mohammadi v. Kinslow.

2022 COA 103. No. 21CA0109. Statute of Limitations—Limitations for Persons Under Disability—Tolling.

In re Parental Responsibility Concerning S.Z.S.

2022 COA 105. No. 21CA1760. Modification of Parenting Time—Child’s Integration with Parental Consent.

People v. Sellers.

2022 COA 102. No. 19CA2033. Felony Murder—Sentencing—Presumption of Concurrence—Life Imprisonment Without the Possibility of Parole—Cruel and Unusual Punishment—Proportionality Review—Per Se Grave or Serious Offenses.

People v. Castro.

2022 COA 101. No. 18CA1878. Custodial Interrogation—Miranda—Post-Advisement Silence.

People v. Vasquez.

2022 COA 100. No. 18CA1486. Felony Murder—Fourth Degree Arson.

People v. Eugene.

2022 COA 99. No. 19CA2267.  Fifth Amendment—Custodial Interrogation—Miranda Warning.

People v. Rodriguez.

2022 COA 98. No. 19CA1354. Mental Competency—Multiple Competency Motions—Right to Counsel—Substitute Counsel.

People v. Lopez.

2022 COA 97. No. 19CA0287. Sixth Amendment—Right to Conflict-Free Representation—Prosecutorial Misconduct.

Fresquez v. Trinidad Inn.

2022 COA 96. No. 21CA0118. Health Care Availability Act—Arbitration Agreements—Agency—Actual Authority—Apparent Authority.

In the Matter of Thompson.

2022 CO 39. No. 22SA268. Judicial Conduct.

People v. Vergari.

2022 COA 95. No. 19CA1317. Jurors—Challenge for Cause—Peremptory Challenges—Opinion Testimony—CRE 403—Prosecutorial Misconduct.

Herrera v. Santangelo Law Offices, P.C.

2022 COA 93. No. 20CA2105. Legal Services Agreement—Arbitration Provision—Colorado Uniform Arbitration Act—Arbitration Award—Sanctions.

No. 20CA1912. People v. Moss.

2022 COA 92. Sentencing—Restitution—Proximate Cause—Pecuniary Loss.

Galef v. University of Colorado.

2022 COA 91. No. 21CA0322. Personal Injury—Premises Liability—Colorado Governmental Immunity Act—Waiver—Dangerous Condition of a Public Building.

In re Estate of Davies.

2022 COA 90. No. 21CA0295. Wills—Colorado Uniform Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Act—Conservator—Property of Protected Person—Required Court Approval.

In re Estate of Chavez.

2022 COA 89. No. 20CA1125. Power of Attorney—Civil Theft—Breach of Fiduciary Duty—Unjust Enrichment—Promissory Estoppel—Treble Damages.            

People in the Interest of T.W.

2022 COA 88. No. 21CA1331. Dependency and Neglect—Subject Matter Jurisdiction—Authority to Act—Deferred Adjudication—Allocation of Parental Responsibilities.

Scholle v. Ehrichs.

2022 COA 87. No. 20CA2051. Health-Care Availability Act—Damages—Limitation of Liability—Collateral Source Evidence—Contract Exception.

Portley-El v. Department of Corrections.

2022 COA 86. No. 20CA1992. Colorado Department of Corrections—Prisoner’s Commitment Name—Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act—Mootness—Voluntary Cessation Exception.

Giron v. Hice.

2022 COA 85. No. 20CA1603. Colorado Governmental Immunity Act—Sovereign Immunity Waiver—Operation of Motor Vehicle Owned or Leased by Public Entity—Emergency Vehicle Exception.

People v. Whiteaker.

2022 COA 84. No. 20CA1339. Double Jeopardy—Fifth Amendment—Presumption of Innocence—Lesser Included Offenses—Jury Instructions.

People v. Garcia.

2022 COA 83. No. 19CA1629. Motor Vehicle Theft—Disqualification of Judge—Structural Error—Sufficiency of Evidence.

People v. Lancaster.

2022 COA 82. No. 18CA2319. Bribery—Official Proceedings—Sexual Assault—Prior Act Evidence.

People in the Interest of C.C.

2022 COA 81. No. 21CA1411. Dependency and Neglect—Adjudicatory Jury Trial—Conversion of Jury Trial to Bench Trial—Waiver of Right to Jury Trial.

In re Marriage of Thorburn.

2022 COA 80. No. 21CA1006. Post-Dissolution of Marriage Proceeding—Motion to Restrict Parenting Time—Emergency Motion—Endangerment—Imminent—New Evidence—Jurisdiction.

Stickle v. County of Jefferson.

2022 COA 79. No. 21CA0439. Premises Liability—Colorado Governmental Immunity Act—Immunity—Partial Waiver—Dangerous Condition of a Public Building.

Leonard v. Interquest.

2022 COA 78. No. 21CA0666. Colorado Open Records Act—Documents Evidencing Receipt or Expenditure of Public Funds—Care, Custody, or Control of Documents.

Nakauchi v. Cowart.

2022 COA 77. No. 21CA0318. Due Process—Child Support—Income Withholding Orders.

Nation SLP, LLC v. Bruner.

2022 COA 76. No. 21CA0223. Forum Non Conveniens—Final Judgment on the Merits—Issue Preclusion.

No. 21CA0206. Matter of Brockman Disability Trust.

2022 COA 75. Colorado Uniform Trust Code—Disability Trusts—Trust Modification or Termination.

In re Marriage of Wenciker and Bolen.

2022 COA 74. No. 20CA1669. Post-Dissolution of Marriage Proceeding—Motion to Modify—Emergency Motion—Endangerment.

People v. Crabtree.

2022 COA 73. No. 20CA0629. DUI—Prior Convictions—Penalties for Traffic Offenses Involving Drugs and Alcohol.

People in the Interest of M.W.

2022 COA 72. No. 21CA1768.  Juvenile Court—Dependency and Neglect—Remote Testimony—Sex Offender Management Board Evaluation—Appealable Orders.

People v. Archer.

2022 COA 71. No. 19CA1364.  Child Abuse Resulting in Death—Sufficiency of Evidence—Expert Scientific Evidence—Co-Conspirator Statements.

People v. Lopez.

2022 COA 70. No. 19CA1727.  Colorado Constitution—Amendment 64—Exploratory Dog Sniff of a Vehicle’s Exterior—Probable Cause.

Petition of J.N.

2022 COA 69. No. 19CA1425.  Dependency and Neglect—Notice—Service by Publication—Due Process—CRCP 60(b)—Timeliness.

People v. Johnson.

2022 COA 68. No. 18CA2337.  Youth Offender System—Sentencing—Revocation.

United States v. Biggs Farley.

No. 21-8013. D.Wyo. Judge Ebel. Reasonableness of Sentence—Sentencing Guidelines—Plain Error Review.

American Society of Home Inspectors, Inc. v. International Association of Certified Home Inspectors.

No. 21-1087. D.Colo. Judge Tymkovich. Lanham Act False Advertising Claims—Summary Judgment—Requirement to Show Harm.

United States v. Shamo.

No. 20-4116. D.Utah. Judge Hartz. Fentanyl Distribution—Continuing Criminal Enterprise—Sufficiency of the Evidence—Admissibility—Harmless Error—Prosecutorial Misconduct—Constitutionality of Life Sentence.

Tucker v. Faith Bible Chapel International.

No. 20-1230. D.Colo. Judge Ebel. Title VII Race Discrimination Claim—Religious Employer—Finality Requirement—Collateral Order Doctrine—Ministerial Exception Defense—Summary Judgment.

Shaw v. Schulte.

Nos. 21-3130 & 21-3131. D.Kan. Judge McHugh. 42 USC § 1983—Summary Judgment—Qualified Immunity—K-9 Sweeps.

United States v. Starks.

No. 19-3256.  D.Kan. Judge Holmes. Presumption of Innocence—Prosecutorial Misconduct—Admissibility of Evidence—Fed. R. Evid. 702—Pretrial Presentation of Jury Instructions—Cumulative Error—Plain Error.

People v. Smith.

2022 CO 38. No. 22SA58. Interlocutory Appeal—Suppression of Evidence—Fourth Amendment—Warrantless Search of an Automobile—Probable Cause—Law Enforcement Hunches—Piling Hunch upon Hunch—Totality of the Circumstances—Consideration of Both Facts Supporting Probable Cause and Those Militating Against It.

In the Matter of the Titles, Ballot Titles, and Submission Clauses for Proposed Initiatives 2021–2022 #67, #115, and #128.

2022 CO 37. Nos. 22SA101, 22SA142, 22SA155.Title Board Jurisdiction—Single-Subject Requirement—Ballot Titles.

Chan v. HEI Resources, Inc.

2022 CO 36. No. 20SC595. Colorado Securities Act—Investment Contracts—General Partnerships.

People in the Interest of My.K.M.

2022 CO 35. No. 21SC245. Indian Child Welfare Act—Active Efforts—Statutory Interpretation.

Colorado Division of Insurance v. Statewide Bonding, Inc.

2022 COA 67. No. 21CA0466.  Colorado Division of Insurance—Immigration Delivery Bonds—Sixth Amendment—Federal Supremacy—Preemption.

In re Marriage of Fabos.

2022 COA 66. No. 20CA1881.  Dissolution of Marriage—Assisted Reproduction—Embryos.

People in the Interest of J.O.

2022 COA 65. No. 20CA1539.  Juvenile Delinquency—Unlawful Sexual Conduct—Sexual Gratification or Abuse—Intent.

People in the Interest of J.G.

2022 COA 64. No. 20CA0218. Juvenile Delinquency—Fourth Amendment—School Searches—Safety Plan.

Owens v. Williams.

2022 CO 33. No. 21SC52. Parole Eligibility Calculation—One-Continuous-Sentence Rule—CRS § 17-22.5-101—CRS § 17-22.5-403—Hybrid Method of Calculating Sentence.

Ford Motor Co. v. Walker.

2022 CO 32. No. 20SC947. Personal Injury Judgment Debtor—Interest on Damages—Statutory Interpretation—CRS § 13-21-101—Statutorily Fixed 9% Interest Rate—Market-Based Postjudgment Interest Rate—Appealed Judgment—Final Judgment.

People v. Trujillo-Tucson.

2022 CO 31. No. 21SA386. Fifth Amendment Right to Counsel—Invoking the Right to Counsel—Suppression of Statements.

McBride v. People.

2022 CO 30. No. 20SC717. Tail Lamp Violation—Statutory Construction—Sufficiency of the Evidence.

Chronos Builders, LLC v. Department of Labor.

2022 CO 29. No. 22SC78. Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights—Constitutional Interpretation.

People v. Vialpando.

2022 CO 28. No. 20SC343. Plain Error—Prosecutorial Misconduct—Cumulative Error.

CORE Electric Cooperative v. Freund Investments, LLC.

2022 COA 63. No. 21CA0574.  Eminent Domain—Condemnation—Property Valuation Methods—CRE 803.

In re People in the Interest of S.A.

2022 CO 27. No. 21SA383. Children’s Code—Dependency or Neglect Proceedings—Jurisdiction.

Danks v. Colorado Public Utilities Commission.

2022 CO 26. No. 21SA265. Public Utility Law—Administrative Law.

People v. Washington.

2022 COA 62. No. 19CA1332.  Criminal Procedure—Permissive Joinder—Harmless Error—Crim. P. 8—Crim. P. 14.

Magana v. People.

2022 CO 25. No. 20SC928. Arson—Unit of Prosecution—Sentencing.

People in the Interest of A.P.

2022 CO 24. No. 22SA6. Right to Relief from Judgment—Nature and Scope of Remedy—Bias and Prejudice.

People in the Interest of M.M.

2022 COA 61. No. 21CA0760. Dependency and Neglect—Indian Child Welfare Act—Reason to Know—Assertion of Lineage—Proper Notice.

People in the Interest of K.P.

2022 COA 60. No. 21CA0574.  Dependency and Neglect—Collateral Bar Rule—Protection Order—First Amendment—Freedom of Speech—Contempt—Sanctions.

People v. Newton.

2022 COA 59. No. 18CA1697.  First Degree Murder—Evidence Tampering—Custodial Interview—Miranda Warning—Fifth Amendment—Right to Counsel—Evidence.

Disciplinary Case Summaries for Matters Resulting in Diversion and Private Admonition

People v. Abrahamson Pirzadeh.

No. 21PDJ066. 5/20/2022. Stipulation to Discipline.

People v. Adams.

No. 22PDJ016. 5/19/2022. Reciprocal Discipline.

People v. Barnes.

No. 22PDJ014.  5/20/2022. Stipulation to Discipline.

People v. Herrera.

No. 22PDJ019. 5/4/2022. Stipulation to Discipline.

People v. Raines.

No. 20PDJ025. 4/27/2022. Revocation of Probation.

People v. Raines.

No. 22PDJ021. 5/3/2022. Stipulation to Discipline.

People v. Ricciardelli

No. 22PDJ017. 4/22/2022. Stipulation to Discipline.

Colorado Supreme Court: Colorado Judicial Ethics Advisory Board (CJEAB)

C.J.E.A.B. Advisory Opinion 2022-03 (Finalized and effective May 18, 2022)

United States v. Hartley.

No. 22-3010. D.Kan. Judge Matheson. Early Termination of Probation—18 USC § 3564(c)—Waiver of Appeal Rights—Blanket Policy versus Statutory Criteria—Harmless Error.

Denver Homeless Out Loud v. Denver, Colorado.

No. 21-1025.  D.Colo. Judge McHugh. Homeless Encampments Sweeps—Preliminary Injunction—Preclusive Effect of Prior Settlement Agreement—Jurisdiction—Preservation—Claim Preclusion.

Allen v. Environmental Restoration, LLC.

No. 19-2197. D.N.M. Judge Carson. Clean Water Act—Statute of Limitations—Federal Preemption—Choice of Law.

United States v. Shakespeare.

No. 21-8010. D.Wyo. Judge Murphy. Revocation of Probation—Supervised Release—Jury Trial Rights—Double Jeopardy—Plain Error Review.

Seale v. Peacock.

No. 21-1144. D.Colo. Judge McHugh. Motion to Dismiss for Failure to State a Claim—Motion to Amend Complaint—Standing—Stored Communications Act.

United States v. Holzer.

No. 21-1080.  D.Colo. Judge Briscoe. Plot to Bomb Synagogue—Special Conditions of Supervised Release—First Amendment—Appellate Waiver Provision of Plea Agreement.

People v. Gilbert.

2022 CO 23. No. 20S853. Motion for Continuance—Sixth Amendment—Counsel of Choice.