10th Circuit Case Commentaries

Ramos v. Bondi: Enforcing Clear-Error Review and the Futility-of-Remand Remedy—Tenth Circuit Orders Reinstatement of IJ’s Asylum Grant

Date: Oct 17, 2025

Ramos v. Bondi: Enforcing Clear-Error Review and the Futility-of-Remand Remedy—Tenth Circuit Orders Reinstatement of IJ’s Asylum Grant Introduction In Ramos v. Bondi (10th Cir. Oct. 15, 2025), the...

Proper Exhaustion Requires Proof of Appeal: Tenth Circuit Confirms Generic Postage Charges Cannot Substantiate PLRA Exhaustion in Religious-Diet Claims

Date: Oct 17, 2025

Proper Exhaustion Requires Proof of Appeal: Tenth Circuit Confirms Generic Postage Charges Cannot Substantiate PLRA Exhaustion in Religious-Diet Claims Case: Wiggins v. Hatch, United States Court of...

Plain View Through a One‑Inch Curtain Gap: Tenth Circuit Rules Motel Exterior Walkways Are Not Curtilage and Unaided Peering Is Not a Search

Date: Oct 16, 2025

Plain View Through a One‑Inch Curtain Gap: Tenth Circuit Rules Motel Exterior Walkways Are Not Curtilage and Unaided Peering Is Not a Search Case: United States v. Watkins, No. 23-6210 (10th Cir....

Tenth Circuit clarifies: No immediate appeal from a magistrate judge’s denial of IFP service pending § 1915(e)(2) screening; collateral-order, § 1292, and access-to-courts theories rejected

Date: Oct 16, 2025

Tenth Circuit clarifies: No immediate appeal from a magistrate judge’s denial of IFP service pending § 1915(e)(2) screening; collateral-order, § 1292, and access-to-courts theories rejected...

Frericks v. Department of the Navy: Tenth Circuit Clarifies that Motive and Timing May Inform “Reasonable Belief” Under the WPA and Endorses Disclosure-by-Disclosure Contributing-Factor Analysis

Date: Oct 11, 2025

Frericks v. Department of the Navy: Tenth Circuit Clarifies that Motive and Timing May Inform “Reasonable Belief” Under the WPA and Endorses Disclosure-by-Disclosure Contributing-Factor Analysis...

Tenth Circuit rejects categorical “hub” placements: Individualized placement determinations are required under IDEA, ADA, and Section 504; futility excuses Section 504 exhaustion when hearing officers lack jurisdiction

Date: Oct 11, 2025

Tenth Circuit rejects categorical “hub” placements: Individualized placement determinations are required under IDEA, ADA, and Section 504; futility excuses Section 504 exhaustion when hearing...

Unexplained VE Skill Labels Won’t Do: Tenth Circuit Requires Record Documentation of Transferable Skills Under SSR 82-41

Date: Oct 11, 2025

Unexplained VE Skill Labels Won’t Do: Tenth Circuit Requires Record Documentation of Transferable Skills Under SSR 82-41 Introduction This commentary analyzes the Tenth Circuit’s unpublished order...

Tenth Circuit Clarifies: Mental-Health Progress Notes Without Functional Assessments Are Not “Medical Opinions” Under SSA’s Post-2017 Regulations

Date: Oct 11, 2025

Tenth Circuit Clarifies: Mental-Health Progress Notes Without Functional Assessments Are Not “Medical Opinions” Under SSA’s Post-2017 Regulations Introduction In Parsons v. Commissioner, SSA (10th...

Pre‑Enforcement Standing Demands a Proscribing Law: Tenth Circuit Rejects HCSM Challenge Based on New Mexico’s Insurance Definition

Date: Oct 11, 2025

Pre‑Enforcement Standing Demands a Proscribing Law: Tenth Circuit Rejects HCSM Challenge Based on New Mexico’s Insurance Definition Introduction In Samaritan Ministries International v. Kane, No....

No State Action in Private Condemnation: Tenth Circuit Holds Private Landowners Using Oklahoma’s “Private Way of Necessity” Statutes Are Not § 1983 Actors

Date: Oct 11, 2025

No State Action in Private Condemnation: Tenth Circuit Holds Private Landowners Using Oklahoma’s “Private Way of Necessity” Statutes Are Not § 1983 Actors Introduction In Witherspoon v. Ince, the...

No Automatic Liberal Construction for Legally Trained Pro Se Litigants; Rule 41(b) Dismissal Affirmed Under Ehrenhaus After Failure to Cure Pleading Defects

Date: Oct 10, 2025

No Automatic Liberal Construction for Legally Trained Pro Se Litigants; Rule 41(b) Dismissal Affirmed Under Ehrenhaus After Failure to Cure Pleading Defects Introduction In Cohen v. Hartman, No....

Centrality of Motive and the Reporting Requirement: The Tenth Circuit’s Published Clarification on Nexus, State Protection, and Internal Relocation in Mixed‑Motive Asylum Claims (Jimenez v. Bondi)

Date: Oct 10, 2025

Centrality of Motive and the Reporting Requirement: The Tenth Circuit’s Published Clarification on Nexus, State Protection, and Internal Relocation in Mixed‑Motive Asylum Claims Introduction In...

No Plain-Error Duty to Advise Juveniles of Murphy’s “Appreciable Period” Requirement for § 1201 Kidnapping

Date: Oct 10, 2025

No Plain-Error Duty to Advise Juveniles of Murphy’s “Appreciable Period” Requirement for § 1201 Kidnapping Case: United States v. Doe, No. 25-9902 (10th Cir. Oct. 7, 2025) Court: United States Court...

Record-Based Justification Suffices: Tenth Circuit Affirms Alcohol-Abstinence and Bar-Restriction Conditions Under Plain-Error Review Even Without On-the-Record Reasons

Date: Oct 10, 2025

Record-Based Justification Suffices: Tenth Circuit Affirms Alcohol-Abstinence and Bar-Restriction Conditions Under Plain-Error Review Even Without On-the-Record Reasons Introduction In United States...

Tenth Circuit Clarifies Evidence Required to Prove Government “Unable or Unwilling” in Failure‑to‑Report Asylum Claims: Rosas‑Garcia v. Bondi

Date: Oct 10, 2025

Tenth Circuit Clarifies Evidence Required to Prove Government “Unable or Unwilling” in Failure‑to‑Report Asylum Claims: Rosas‑Garcia v. Bondi Introduction This commentary examines the Tenth Circuit’s...

No §1983 End‑Run Around Habeas for McGirt‑Based Jurisdictional Challenges; Prospective Relief Against Judges Requires Ongoing Injury

Date: Oct 5, 2025

No §1983 End‑Run Around Habeas for McGirt‑Based Jurisdictional Challenges; Prospective Relief Against Judges Requires Ongoing Injury Introduction In Davison v. Smith, No. 24-6256 (10th Cir. Oct. 3,...

Gatekeeping, Not Merits: The Tenth Circuit Reaffirms Burns/Dodson Limits on Habeas Review of Nonunanimous Court‑Martial Verdicts and Rejects “Missing Transcript” Attacks

Date: Oct 5, 2025

Gatekeeping, Not Merits: The Tenth Circuit Reaffirms Burns/Dodson Limits on Habeas Review of Nonunanimous Court‑Martial Verdicts and Rejects “Missing Transcript” Attacks Introduction In Livingston v....

Modoc Nation v. Shah: Collateral-Order Review of Denials of Tribal and State-Law Immunities; No Tribal Sovereign Immunity in Individual-Capacity Suits Against Tribal Officials

Date: Oct 5, 2025

Modoc Nation v. Shah: Collateral-Order Review of Denials of Tribal and State-Law Immunities; No Tribal Sovereign Immunity in Individual-Capacity Suits Against Tribal Officials Court: United States...

Intoxication-Like Symptoms Are Not an “Obvious” Medical Risk: Tenth Circuit Affirms DUI Probable Cause and Rejects Deliberate-Indifference and Monell Claims in Waters v. City of Altus

Date: Oct 5, 2025

Intoxication-Like Symptoms Are Not an “Obvious” Medical Risk: Tenth Circuit Affirms DUI Probable Cause and Rejects Deliberate-Indifference and Monell Claims in Waters v. City of Altus Introduction In...

Affirming Major Upward Variances to the Statutory Maximum: Deference to § 3553(a) Balancing and No Duty to Address Hypothetical Guideline Ranges for Dismissed Counts

Date: Oct 4, 2025

Affirming Major Upward Variances to the Statutory Maximum: Deference to § 3553(a) Balancing and No Duty to Address Hypothetical Guideline Ranges for Dismissed Counts Introduction In United States v....