10th Circuit Case Commentaries

Tenth Circuit: A Defendant’s Police-Officer Status, Standing Alone, Cannot Aggravate Sentence; Supervised Release Preserves Mootness on Direct Appeal

Date: Apr 16, 2026

Tenth Circuit: A Defendant’s Police-Officer Status, Standing Alone, Cannot Aggravate Sentence; Supervised Release Preserves Mootness on Direct Appeal Case: United States v. Thompson (10th Cir. Apr....

Incoherent “Retaliation vs. Social-Group” Nexus Findings Require Vacatur and Full Remand in Asylum Appeals

Date: Apr 16, 2026

Incoherent “Retaliation vs. Social-Group” Nexus Findings Require Vacatur and Full Remand in Asylum Appeals 1. Introduction In Jiron-De Lopez v. Blanche (10th Cir. Apr. 13, 2026), the Tenth Circuit...

“Double Deference” and Trial Strategy Defeat a COA on Strickland Claims Under § 2254(d): Commentary on Wyban v. Stancil

Date: Apr 16, 2026

“Double Deference” and Trial Strategy Defeat a COA on Strickland Claims Under § 2254(d): Commentary on Wyban v. Stancil Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit Date: April 10,...

United States v. Sewall: “Intent to Defraud” Encompasses Cheating One Person by Deceiving Another; No Separate Good-Faith Instruction Required When Specific-Intent Instruction Is Given

Date: Apr 16, 2026

United States v. Sewall: “Intent to Defraud” Encompasses Cheating One Person by Deceiving Another; No Separate Good-Faith Instruction Required When Specific-Intent Instruction Is Given I....

Mandatory Colorado § 13-17-201 Fees for State-Law Tort Claims Dismissed Under Rule 12(b)(6), With No “Fees-on-Fees” on Appeal Absent Substantial Frivolity

Date: Apr 16, 2026

Mandatory Colorado § 13-17-201 Fees for State-Law Tort Claims Dismissed Under Rule 12(b)(6), With No “Fees-on-Fees” on Appeal Absent Substantial Frivolity 1. Introduction In Weidner v. Doe (10th Cir....

Prudential Mootness in Preliminary-Injunction Appeals: Voluntary Policy Changes Moot Requested Relief Unless Movant Shows a Cognizable Danger of Recurrence

Date: Apr 16, 2026

Prudential Mootness in Preliminary-Injunction Appeals: Voluntary Policy Changes Moot Requested Relief Unless Movant Shows a Cognizable Danger of Recurrence Case: Ulusemre v. Blue Valley Board of...

Consent to “Go In” to Search for a Person Can Encompass Roof Access, Supporting Plain-View Seizure; New Appellate Arguments on Consent Duration Are Waived

Date: Apr 10, 2026

Consent to “Go In” to Search for a Person Can Encompass Roof Access, Supporting Plain-View Seizure; New Appellate Arguments on Consent Duration Are Waived I. Introduction United States v. Coronado...

Mukhtar v. Lambrecht: Mootness in APA/Mandamus Immigration Suits Once USCIS Reopens and Issues a New Decision (and the Plaintiff Does Not Amend)

Date: Apr 10, 2026

Mukhtar v. Lambrecht: Mootness in APA/Mandamus Immigration Suits Once USCIS Reopens and Issues a New Decision (and the Plaintiff Does Not Amend) 1. Introduction In Mukhtar v. Lambrecht (10th Cir....

Law of the Case Treats Prior Appellate Footnote as Binding Rejection of a Bruen Challenge, Including to § 922(g)(1) Ammunition-Only Prosecutions

Date: Apr 10, 2026

Law of the Case Treats Prior Appellate Footnote as Binding Rejection of a Bruen Challenge, Including to § 922(g)(1) Ammunition-Only Prosecutions I. Introduction United States v. Swan (Tenth Circuit,...

Savage v. Dobbertin: Notice-of-Appeal Limits Appellate Jurisdiction; De Minimis Injury/Individualized Causation Defeat Detainee Excessive-Force Claims; Prisoner Must Provide Service Addresses

Date: Apr 9, 2026

Notice-of-Appeal Limits Appellate Jurisdiction; De Minimis Injury/Individualized Causation Defeat Detainee Excessive-Force Claims; Prisoner Must Provide Service Addresses Introduction Savage v....

Tenth Circuit: Sua Sponte Rule 4(b) Dismissal of Untimely Criminal Appeal and Mootness/Nonfinality of Castro Recharacterization Notices

Date: Apr 9, 2026

Tenth Circuit: Sua Sponte Rule 4(b) Dismissal of Untimely Criminal Appeal and Mootness/Nonfinality of Castro Recharacterization Notices Introduction In United States v. Jacobo (10th Cir. Apr. 7,...

Savage v. Dobbertin: De Minimis Injury and Defendant-Specific Causation as Gatekeepers for Pretrial Detainee Excessive-Force Claims; Strict Enforcement of Notice-of-Appeal and Rule 4(m) Service Duties

Date: Apr 9, 2026

Savage v. Dobbertin: De Minimis Injury and Defendant-Specific Causation as Gatekeepers for Pretrial Detainee Excessive-Force Claims; Strict Enforcement of Notice-of-Appeal and Rule 4(m) Service...

United States v. Jacobo (10th Cir. Apr. 7, 2026) — Commentary

Date: Apr 9, 2026

Sua Sponte Enforcement of Criminal Appeal Deadlines and Non-Appealability of § 2255 Recharacterization Notices After Withdrawal Introduction United States v. Jacobo (Nos. 25-5115 & 25-5121) is a...

United States v. Glaze: Minimal-but-Adequate Revocation Sentencing Explanations Satisfy § 3553(a) Under Plain-Error Review

Date: Apr 9, 2026

United States v. Glaze: Minimal-but-Adequate Revocation Sentencing Explanations Satisfy § 3553(a) Under Plain-Error Review 1. Introduction In United States v. Glaze (10th Cir. Apr. 7, 2026)...

SMCRA §§ 1270 & 1276: Stream-Rule Notice and NEPA Comments Do Not Preserve Enforcement or Permit-Review Claims Without Statutory Notice and Permit-Process Participation

Date: Apr 9, 2026

SMCRA §§ 1270 & 1276: Stream-Rule Notice and NEPA Comments Do Not Preserve Enforcement or Permit-Review Claims Without Statutory Notice and Permit-Process Participation Case: Citizens for...

COA Denial When Appellant Does Not Debatably Challenge AEDPA Timeliness; District Court May Rule Without Awaiting Further Magistrate Review

Date: Apr 9, 2026

COA Denial When Appellant Does Not Debatably Challenge AEDPA Timeliness; District Court May Rule Without Awaiting Further Magistrate Review Case: Dominguez v. Rios, No. 25-2137 (10th Cir. Apr. 7,...

Title VII Retaliation Causation Requires Knowledge: Decisionmaker or Cat’s Paw Actor Must Know of Protected Activity; Pretext Alone Cannot Supply the Missing Link

Date: Apr 9, 2026

Title VII Retaliation Causation Requires Knowledge: Decisionmaker or Cat’s Paw Actor Must Know of Protected Activity; Pretext Alone Cannot Supply the Missing Link Case: Dominguez v. Weiser Security...

Waiver of the “Unable or Unwilling to Control” Element in Tenth Circuit Asylum Petitions for Review

Date: Apr 9, 2026

Waiver of the “Unable or Unwilling to Control” Element in Tenth Circuit Asylum Petitions for Review 1. Introduction Lopez-Martinez v. Blanche (10th Cir. Apr. 7, 2026) addresses a recurring appellate...

Savage v. Dobbertin: Notice of Appeal Limits Appellate Jurisdiction; De Minimis Injury and Defendant-Specific Causation Defeat Detainee Excessive-Force Claims; IFP Prisoner Must Provide Service Addresses

Date: Apr 9, 2026

Savage v. Dobbertin: Notice of Appeal Limits Appellate Jurisdiction; De Minimis Injury and Defendant-Specific Causation Defeat Detainee Excessive-Force Claims; IFP Prisoner Must Provide Service...

United States v. Jackson — Lawful-Possession Standing and Escalation from Reasonable Suspicion to Automobile-Exception Probable Cause

Date: Apr 9, 2026

United States v. Jackson — Lawful-Possession Standing and Escalation from Reasonable Suspicion to Automobile-Exception Probable Cause Tenth Circuit (Apr. 7, 2026) (nonprecedential “Order and...