Hale-El v. Ring: Tenth Circuit Clarifies Timing of PLRA “Strikes” and Heightens Pleading Scrutiny for Prisoner Appeals 1. Introduction In Hale-El v. Ring, Nos. 25-1044 & 25-1045 (10th Cir. 2025), the...
Vehicle-Specific Liability Coverage Upheld: Scott v. Nationwide Agribusiness and the Colorado “Vehicle-Oriented” Liability Principle 1. Introduction Scott v. Nationwide Agribusiness Insurance...
United States v. Barnes: Tenth Circuit Confirms Unconditional Guilty Plea Waives Post-Conviction Statutory Challenges to § 924(c) Predicate Offenses 1. Introduction On 25 June 2025, the United States...
United States v. Butler Commentary on the Tenth Circuit’s Published Opinion (June 25, 2025) Introduction On 25 June 2025, the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit delivered a...
The Franklin Principle: Relevance-Bound Evidence Requests and “Some Evidence” Sufficiency in Prison Disciplinary Due-Process Review 1. Introduction Franklin v. Attorney General for the State of New...
“One Bite at the Apple” – The Tenth Circuit’s New Rule on Claim Preclusion When a Plaintiff Declines to Plead Existing Diversity Jurisdiction (Markley v. U.S. Bank N.A.) 1. Introduction In Markley v....
United States v. Sanchez-Urias: The Tenth Circuit Clarifies that Appeal-Waiver Exceptions are Triggered by the Sentence Imposed, Not by Guideline-Level Calculations 1. Introduction In United States...
United States v. Teerlink: No Contractual “Footnote Escape Hatch” from the Invited-Error Doctrine Introduction United States v. Teerlink, 94 F.4th ___ (10th Cir. 2025), presented the Tenth Circuit...
Biers v. Dentons US: Tenth Circuit Clarifies Appealability of Interlocutory Orders and Reinforces Limits on Stand-Alone Cross-Claims Introduction In Biers v. Dentons US LLP, the United States Court...
Teetz v. Stepien: The Tenth Circuit Brands Prolonged Prone Restraint of a Subdued Detainee as “Deadly Force” Introduction In Teetz v. Stepien, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit...
Always Compare the Defendant to Actual Participants: United States v. Berryhill and the Clarified Duty to Perform a Relative-Culpability Analysis Under U.S.S.G. § 3B1.2 Introduction United States v....
United States v. Roark: Tenth Circuit Clarifies (1) When Failure to Give a Specific-Unanimity Instruction Constitutes Reversible Plain Error and (2) A District Court’s Power to Vacate Its Own...
Dismissal without Prejudice for Corporate Suspension Does Not Constitute “Favorable Termination” in Malicious-Prosecution Actions A Comprehensive Commentary on Wyles v. Sussman, 10th Cir., 23 June...
Davenport v. Pata – When a Mere “Referral Note” Is Not Enough: The Tenth Circuit Holds that Failure to Follow Internal Referral Procedures Can Constitute Deliberate Indifference to Serious Medical...
United States v. Charley: Re-affirming Appellate Deference to a District Court’s Balancing of § 3553(a) Factors in Substantive-Reasonableness Review Introduction In United States v. Charley,...
“Sum-Certain Contempt Sanctions as Final Decisions” A Comprehensive Commentary on Coomer v. Make Your Life Epic, LLC, 91 F.4th ___ (10th Cir. 2025) I. Introduction The United States Court of Appeals...
“Guardado v. Denver”: Landownership Alone Is Not a Waiver—Clarifying Sovereign-Immunity Standards under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act 1. Introduction Background. Ana Guardado, a traveler at...
“Reaffirming Oklahoma Rule 5.2(C) as an Independent and Adequate State Procedural Bar” Commentary on David v. Yazel, 70 F.4th ___ (10th Cir. 2025) 1. Introduction David v. Yazel is a 2025 decision...
“Statute-of-Conviction” Limiting Principles for Cell-Phone Warrants: A Comprehensive Commentary on United States v. Judkins (10th Cir. 2025) 1. Introduction United States v. Judkins, decided on 17...
“No Automatic Federal Hook”: Tenth Circuit Declares that Motor Vehicles Are NOT Per Se “Instrumentalities of Interstate Commerce” under the Federal Kidnapping Act Introduction United States v....