10th Circuit Case Commentaries

Authorized Technical Assistance and the Boundaries of the Remmer Presumption

Date: Apr 3, 2025

Authorized Technical Assistance and the Boundaries of the Remmer Presumption Introduction United States v. Briscoe, 10th Cir. (April 2, 2025) marks a significant clarification of how the Sixth...

No Exception for Prosecutorial Eavesdropping: Guilty-Plea Challenges Must Proceed via Ineffective Assistance (United States v. Jordan, 10th Cir. 2025)

Date: Apr 3, 2025

No Exception for Prosecutorial Eavesdropping: Guilty-Plea Challenges Must Proceed via Ineffective Assistance (United States v. Jordan, 10th Cir. 2025) Introduction In United States v. Jordan, the...

United States v. Jordan: Ineffective Assistance of Counsel as the Exclusive Remedy for Pre-Plea Constitutional Violations

Date: Apr 3, 2025

United States v. Jordan: Ineffective Assistance of Counsel as the Exclusive Remedy for Pre-Plea Constitutional Violations Introduction United States v. Jordan, decided by the Tenth Circuit on April...

No Remmer Presumption for Court‑Authorized IT Help During Deliberations: United States v. Briscoe (10th Cir. 2025)

Date: Apr 3, 2025

No Remmer Presumption for Court‑Authorized IT Help During Deliberations: United States v. Briscoe (10th Cir. 2025) Introduction This commentary analyzes the Tenth Circuit’s Order and Judgment in...

Ward v. Fisher: Extension of Quasi-Judicial Immunity to Court-Appointed Actors and Clarification of Malpractice Statute of Limitations in Oklahoma

Date: Apr 2, 2025

Extension of Quasi-Judicial Immunity to Court-Appointed Actors and Clarification of Malpractice Statute of Limitations in Oklahoma Introduction In Ward v. Fisher, 10th Cir. No. 24-5083 (Apr. 1,...

Clarifying the Final Conviction Rule for §2255 Statute of Limitations

Date: Apr 2, 2025

Clarifying the Final Conviction Rule for §2255 Statute of Limitations Introduction United States v. Platt (10th Cir. Apr. 1, 2025) addresses a habeas corpus petition under 28 U.S.C. § 2255 filed by...

Ruling on Cumulative Sentencing Enhancements under U.S.S.G. § 2A2.2: No Double Counting for Strangulation and Life-Threatening Injury in United States v. Chavez

Date: Apr 2, 2025

Ruling on Cumulative Sentencing Enhancements under U.S.S.G. § 2A2.2: No Double Counting for Strangulation and Life-Threatening Injury 1. Introduction United States v. Theodore Ian Chavez, IV was...

Ward v. Fisher: Tenth Circuit Persuasively Affirms Quasi‑Judicial Immunity for Court‑Appointed Custody Evaluators and Guardians ad Litem; Legal Malpractice in Oklahoma Sounds in Tort Absent Specific Contractual Promises

Date: Apr 2, 2025

Ward v. Fisher: Tenth Circuit Persuasively Affirms Quasi‑Judicial Immunity for Court‑Appointed Custody Evaluators and Guardians ad Litem; Legal Malpractice in Oklahoma Sounds in Tort Absent Specific...

No COA Without Confronting the Procedural Ruling: Tenth Circuit Reaffirms Exhaustion and Issue Preservation in § 2241 Parole-Eligibility Challenges

Date: Apr 2, 2025

No COA Without Confronting the Procedural Ruling: Tenth Circuit Reaffirms Exhaustion and Issue Preservation in § 2241 Parole-Eligibility Challenges Introduction In Medina v. Bauby, No. 24-1495 (10th...

Cumulative Sentencing Enhancements for Strangulation and Life-Threatening Injury under U.S.S.G. §2A2.2

Date: Apr 2, 2025

Cumulative Sentencing Enhancements for Strangulation and Life-Threatening Injury under U.S.S.G. §2A2.2 Introduction United States v. Chavez, 24-2090 (10th Cir. April 1, 2025), addresses whether two...

Medina v. Bauby: Reinforcing the Exhaustion Imperative for Federal Habeas Corpus under § 2241

Date: Apr 2, 2025

Medina v. Bauby: Reinforcing the Exhaustion Imperative for Federal Habeas Corpus under § 2241 Introduction Case Name: Delano Medina v. August Bauby & Jennifer Hansen Court: United States Court of...

Limitation and Equitable Tolling of § 2255 Habeas Petitions: Supreme Court Precedent and Actual Innocence Requirement

Date: Apr 2, 2025

Limitation and Equitable Tolling of § 2255 Habeas Petitions: Supreme Court Precedent and Actual Innocence Requirement Introduction This commentary examines the United States Court of Appeals for the...

Firm Resettlement Requires State-Imposed Restrictions to Avoid the Bar; Private Threats and Meeting Disruptions in Third Countries Are Insufficient — Perez‑Mavarez v. Garland (10th Cir. 2025)

Date: Apr 1, 2025

Firm Resettlement Requires State-Imposed Restrictions to Avoid the Bar; Private Threats and Meeting Disruptions in Third Countries Are Insufficient — Perez‑Mavarez v. Garland (10th Cir. 2025) Court:...

Reaffirming Firm Resettlement for Third‑Country Permanent Residents and the “Threats Rarely Equal Persecution” Principle: Perez‑Mavarez v. Garland (10th Cir. 2025)

Date: Apr 1, 2025

Reaffirming Firm Resettlement for Third‑Country Permanent Residents and the “Threats Rarely Equal Persecution” Principle: Perez‑Mavarez v. Garland (10th Cir. 2025) Introduction This commentary...

Plain-Error Prong Three Controls: Tenth Circuit Affirms and Reiterates § 922(g)(1)’s Validity Post‑Bruen in United States v. Redfoot

Date: Apr 1, 2025

Plain-Error Prong Three Controls: Tenth Circuit Affirms and Reiterates § 922(g)(1)’s Validity Post‑Bruen in United States v. Redfoot Court: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit Date: March 31,...

Resubmitting Inconsistent Special Verdicts and New Preservation Duties in the Tenth Circuit: Culp v. Remington of Montrose Golf Club

Date: Apr 1, 2025

Resubmitting Inconsistent Special Verdicts and New Preservation Duties in the Tenth Circuit Culp v. Remington of Montrose Golf Club, LLC (10th Cir. Mar. 31, 2025) Introduction In this published...

Plain-Error Review’s “Substantial Rights” Gatekeeper and the Post‑Bruen Status of § 922(g)(1): United States v. Redfoot (10th Cir. 2025)

Date: Apr 1, 2025

Plain-Error Review’s “Substantial Rights” Gatekeeper and the Post‑Bruen Status of § 922(g)(1): United States v. Redfoot (10th Cir. 2025) Court: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit Date: March...

Tenth Circuit Embraces Dietz: District Courts May Resubmit Inconsistent Special Verdicts to the Jury; Irreconcilable Punitive-Damages Award Requires a New Trial

Date: Apr 1, 2025

Tenth Circuit Embraces Dietz: District Courts May Resubmit Inconsistent Special Verdicts to the Jury; Irreconcilable Punitive-Damages Award Requires a New Trial Introduction In Culp v. Remington of...

Expired, Event-Triggered Stay Orders Moot Appeals: The Tenth Circuit’s Clarification on Article III and Mootness Exceptions in Quint v. Vail Resorts

Date: Mar 28, 2025

Expired, Event-Triggered Stay Orders Moot Appeals: The Tenth Circuit’s Clarification on Article III and Mootness Exceptions in Quint v. Vail Resorts Introduction In Quint v. Vail Resorts (No....

Uniform Three-Year Limitations for CERCLA Contribution Claims: Tenth Circuit Applies §113(g)(3) to §113(f)(3)(B) Administrative Settlements and Declares Sun Co. No Longer Viable

Date: Mar 28, 2025

Uniform Three-Year Limitations for CERCLA Contribution Claims: Tenth Circuit Applies §113(g)(3) to §113(f)(3)(B) Administrative Settlements and Declares Sun Co. No Longer Viable Court: United States...