10th Circuit Case Commentaries

Tenth Circuit Holds PLRA “Imminent Danger” Exception Requires Standing-Like Nexus: Traceability and Redressability

Date: Jul 15, 2026

Tenth Circuit Holds PLRA “Imminent Danger” Exception Requires Standing-Like Nexus: Traceability and Redressability 1. Introduction Barnett v. Bridges (10th Cir. July 14, 2026) addresses when a...

Due Process Does Not Create a “Void Judgment” Escape Hatch from AEDPA’s One-Year Limit; Unreliable, Conflicting, Late Affidavits (Including Recantations) Fail the Actual-Innocence Gateway

Date: Jul 15, 2026

Due Process Does Not Create a “Void Judgment” Escape Hatch from AEDPA’s One-Year Limit; Unreliable, Conflicting, Late Affidavits (Including Recantations) Fail the Actual-Innocence Gateway I....

Tenth Circuit Endorses Sua Sponte Reopening of a Closed BLBA Record When Needed to Decide Total Disability, Absent Unfairness or Prejudice

Date: Jul 13, 2026

Tenth Circuit Endorses Sua Sponte Reopening of a Closed BLBA Record When Needed to Decide Total Disability, Absent Unfairness or Prejudice I. Introduction Case: Energy West Mining Company v. OWCPC...

Gender-Neutral Bullying Is Not Actionable as Title VII Harassment Without Evidence of Sex-Based Motivation: Thurman v. State of Kansas

Date: Jul 11, 2026

Gender-Neutral Bullying Is Not Actionable as Title VII Harassment Without Evidence of Sex-Based Motivation: Thurman v. State of Kansas Court: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit Date: July 9,...

Rule 60(b) Relief Requires Fraud or Voidness Tied to the Federal Tribunal, Not Alleged Misconduct in State Proceedings

Date: Jul 11, 2026

Rule 60(b) Relief Requires Fraud or Voidness Tied to the Federal Tribunal, Not Alleged Misconduct in State Proceedings I. Introduction In VanHorn v. Salvation Army (10th Cir. July 9, 2026), the Tenth...

United States v. Guzman-Olea — “No Confidence” as a Permissible Articulation of the Bail Reform Act’s “Reasonably Assure” Standard

Date: Jul 10, 2026

“No Confidence” as a Permissible Articulation of the Bail Reform Act’s “Reasonably Assure” Standard (and the Relevance of Repeated Immigration Encounters to Serious Flight Risk) 1. Introduction In...

EEOC Right-to-Sue Email: 90 Days Runs from Inbox Receipt (and Courts May Judicially Notice EEOC Portal Records)

Date: Jul 10, 2026

EEOC Right-to-Sue Email: 90 Days Runs from Inbox Receipt (and Courts May Judicially Notice EEOC Portal Records) I. Introduction In Pinnock v. Teletech Government Solutions, LLC (10th Cir. July 8,...

Kingsley Does Not Displace the “Legitimate Penological Interest” Pleading Burden for Pretrial Detainee Restrictions (10th Cir.)

Date: Jul 10, 2026

Kingsley Does Not Displace the “Legitimate Penological Interest” Pleading Burden for Pretrial Detainee Restrictions (10th Cir.) 1. Introduction Weinert v. Pushmataha County Municipal District (No....

Within-Guidelines Sentences Presumptively Satisfy § 3553(a)(6): Disparity Claims Require Comparator Evidence

Date: Jul 9, 2026

Within-Guidelines Sentences Presumptively Satisfy § 3553(a)(6): Disparity Claims Require Comparator Evidence Introduction In United States v. Pantoja-Hernandez, consolidated appeals involving the...

Admissions + No Objection = Plain-Error Review and Anders Dismissal in Supervised-Release Revocation Appeals

Date: Jul 9, 2026

Admissions + No Objection = Plain-Error Review and Anders Dismissal in Supervised-Release Revocation Appeals I. Introduction In United States v. Underwood (10th Cir. July 7, 2026), the Tenth Circuit...

NGA Field Preemption of State Consumer-Protection Claims Directly Targeting Interstate Wholesale Natural-Gas Sales Despite Retail Pass-Through Effects

Date: Jul 9, 2026

NGA Field Preemption of State Consumer-Protection Claims Directly Targeting Interstate Wholesale Natural-Gas Sales Despite Retail Pass-Through Effects Case: Deutscher v. Tenaska Marketing Ventures...

Natural Gas Act Field Preemption Bars State Consumer-Protection Claims Directly Targeting Interstate Wholesale Gas Sales

Date: Jul 9, 2026

Natural Gas Act Field Preemption Bars State Consumer-Protection Claims Directly Targeting Interstate Wholesale Gas Sales Case: Stoneberger v. BP Energy Company (consolidated in In re: WINTER STORM...

Within-Guidelines Sentences and § 3553(a)(6): Disparity Claims Require Comparator Evidence; Courts Do Not Err by Ignoring Facts Not Presented

Date: Jul 9, 2026

Within-Guidelines Sentences and § 3553(a)(6): Disparity Claims Require Comparator Evidence; Courts Do Not Err by Ignoring Facts Not Presented 1. Introduction In United States v. Pantoja-Campos...

Lakey v. Bryant: Supervisory Qualified Immunity for Mutual-Aid Policies and the Requirement of a Pattern (Not Post-Incident Ratification Alone) to Prove an Informal Custom

Date: Jul 9, 2026

Lakey v. Bryant: Supervisory Qualified Immunity for Mutual-Aid Policies and the Requirement of a Pattern (Not Post-Incident Ratification Alone) to Prove an Informal Custom I. Introduction Lakey v....

Custodial Compliance as “Official Duties” Speech: Providing Agency Surveillance Video to Investigators Falls Outside First Amendment Protection

Date: Jul 9, 2026

Custodial Compliance as “Official Duties” Speech: Providing Agency Surveillance Video to Investigators Falls Outside First Amendment Protection I. Introduction Holt v. Florissant Fire Protection...

NEPA Standing Requires a Concrete, Imminent Environmental Risk Tied to an Agency’s Own NEPA-Triggering Decision—Not Treasury Tax-Credit Regulations That Merely Fail to Mandate NEPA Review

Date: Jul 9, 2026

NEPA Standing Requires a Concrete, Imminent Environmental Risk Tied to an Agency’s Own NEPA-Triggering Decision—Not Treasury Tax-Credit Regulations That Merely Fail to Mandate NEPA Review 1....

Natural Gas Act Field-Preempts State Consumer-Protection Claims That Directly Target Interstate Wholesale Gas Sales (Winter Storm Uri)

Date: Jul 9, 2026

Natural Gas Act Field-Preempts State Consumer-Protection Claims That Directly Target Interstate Wholesale Gas Sales (Winter Storm Uri) 1. Introduction Rice v. Southwest Energy (captioned within the...

Natural Gas Act Field Preemption Bars State Consumer-Protection Suits Directly Targeting Interstate Wholesale Gas Sales

Date: Jul 9, 2026

Natural Gas Act Field Preemption Bars State Consumer-Protection Suits Directly Targeting Interstate Wholesale Gas Sales Case: Giroux v. BP Canada Energy Marketing Corp. (consolidated as In re: Winter...

Natural Gas Act Field Preemption Bars State Consumer-Protection Claims Targeting Interstate Wholesale Gas Sales

Date: Jul 9, 2026

Natural Gas Act Field Preemption Bars State Consumer-Protection Claims Targeting Interstate Wholesale Gas Sales 1. Introduction Case: Mehl v. BP Energy Company (consolidated as In re: Winter Storm...

Natural Gas Act Field-Preempts State Consumer-Protection Claims That Directly Target Interstate Wholesale Gas Sales (Even If Framed as Retail Harm)

Date: Jul 9, 2026

Natural Gas Act Field-Preempts State Consumer-Protection Claims That Directly Target Interstate Wholesale Gas Sales (Even If Framed as Retail Harm) 1. Introduction Case: Mehl v. BP Energy Company...