Colorado Case Commentaries

Sanchez v. People: Colorado Upholds COLJI-Crim. E:03 (2022) “Firmly Convinced/Real Possibility” Reasonable-Doubt Instruction

Date: Sep 16, 2026

Sanchez v. People: Colorado Upholds COLJI-Crim. E:03 (2022) “Firmly Convinced/Real Possibility” Reasonable-Doubt Instruction 1. Introduction In Sanchez v. People, 2026 CO 60, the Colorado Supreme...

Amended Pleadings Do Not Revive a Waived Civil Jury Right Absent New Triable Issues (C.R.C.P. 38)

Date: Sep 16, 2026

Amended Pleadings Do Not Revive a Waived Civil Jury Right Absent New Triable Issues (C.R.C.P. 38) Introduction In In re SCP 3330 Brighton OPCO, LLC, the Colorado Supreme Court (original proceeding...

Dependency-and-Neglect Dismissal Is Appealable When It Locks In an Adverse Temporary Placement

Date: Sep 16, 2026

Dependency-and-Neglect Dismissal Is Appealable When It Locks In an Adverse Temporary Placement I. Introduction In T.L.P. v. People, 2026 CO 61, the Colorado Supreme Court addressed a recurring...

People v. Sloan (2026 CO 63): Instructional Errors on Uncontested Issues Do Not Satisfy Plain-Error “Substantial Rights” Review

Date: Sep 16, 2026

People v. Sloan (2026 CO 63): Instructional Errors on Uncontested Issues Do Not Satisfy Plain-Error “Substantial Rights” Review I. Introduction In People v. Sloan, 2026 CO 63, the Colorado Supreme...

Unobjected-to Instructional Errors on Uncontested Issues Do Not Constitute Plain Error (and “Eluding” Need Not End When Police Call Off a Chase)

Date: Sep 16, 2026

Unobjected-to Instructional Errors on Uncontested Issues Do Not Constitute Plain Error (and “Eluding” Need Not End When Police Call Off a Chase) Case: People v. Jeffery Sloan, 2026 CO 63 (Colo. Sept....

Amended Pleadings Revive a Waived Civil Jury Demand Only When They Add New Triable Issues (Not New Theories or Clarifications)

Date: Sep 16, 2026

Amended Pleadings Revive a Waived Civil Jury Demand Only When They Add New Triable Issues (Not New Theories or Clarifications) 1. Introduction In SCP 3330 Brighton v. Mountain Cement, 2026 CO 62...

Terran Sanchez v. People (2026 CO 60): COLJI-Crim. E:03 (2022) “Firmly Convinced / Real Possibility” Reasonable-Doubt Instruction Upheld as Constitutional

Date: Sep 16, 2026

COLJI-Crim. E:03 (2022) “Firmly Convinced / Real Possibility” Reasonable-Doubt Instruction Is Constitutional and Does Not Shift or Lower the Burden of Proof Case: Terran Sanchez v. People, 2026 CO 60...

Colorado Single-Subject Rule: Mid-Decade Redistricting Authorization Cannot Be Bundled with Adoption of a Specific Congressional Map

Date: Jul 4, 2026

Colorado Single-Subject Rule: Mid-Decade Redistricting Authorization Cannot Be Bundled with Adoption of a Specific Congressional Map Case: Williams v. Nathan (In re Title, Ballot Title, & Submission...

Colorado’s “Major Purpose” Test for Issue Committees: Holistic, Factor-Based Review with Aggregation Across Ballot Measures

Date: Jul 4, 2026

Colorado’s “Major Purpose” Test for Issue Committees: Holistic, Factor-Based Review with Aggregation Across Ballot Measures Case: Unite for Colo. v. Colo. Dep't of State, 2026 CO 56, 24SC281 (Colo....

People v. Ceus (2026 CO 59): Omitted “Resulted in Death” Enhancer Finding Is Instructional Error but May Be Constitutionally Harmless; “Results in” Requires But-For Causation, Not Proximate Cause

Date: Jul 3, 2026

Omitted “Resulted in Death” Enhancer Finding in Colorado Child Abuse Trials: Error, But Potentially Harmless Beyond a Reasonable Doubt; “Results in” Means But-For Causation Case: The People of the...

Colorado Single-Subject Rule: An Initiative Violates the Single Subject Requirement When Its Effectiveness Is Conditioned on Passage of a Separate Initiative

Date: Jul 3, 2026

Colorado Single-Subject Rule: An Initiative Violates the Single Subject Requirement When Its Effectiveness Is Conditioned on Passage of a Separate Initiative Decision: Balink v. Nathan (In re Title,...

§ 13-81-103(1)(b) Imposes a One-Year Survival-Action Deadline for Decedents Under Disability Regardless of Legal Representative

Date: Jul 3, 2026

§ 13-81-103(1)(b) Imposes a One-Year Survival-Action Deadline for Decedents Under Disability Regardless of Legal Representative 1. Introduction In City of Grand Junction & Pub. Serv. Co. of Colo. v....

Colorado Single-Subject Rule: Mid-Decade Redistricting Authority and Adoption of a Specific Map Are Distinct Subjects in One Initiative

Date: Jul 2, 2026

Colorado Single-Subject Rule: Mid-Decade Redistricting Authority and Adoption of a Specific Map Are Distinct Subjects in One Initiative Case: In the Matter of the Title, Ballot Title, and Submission...

Interdependent Initiatives Contingent on Each Other Violate Colorado’s Single-Subject Rule

Date: Jul 2, 2026

Interdependent Initiatives Contingent on Each Other Violate Colorado’s Single-Subject Rule Introduction In 2026 CO 58 (June 29, 2026), the Colorado Supreme Court decided three consolidated original...

Mid-Decade Redistricting Authorization and Adoption of a Specific Congressional Map Are Separate Subjects Under Colorado’s Single-Subject Rule

Date: Jul 2, 2026

Mid-Decade Redistricting Authorization and Adoption of a Specific Congressional Map Are Separate Subjects Under Colorado’s Single-Subject Rule Court: Colorado Supreme Court Citation: 2026 CO 57 (June...

Colorado Single-Subject Rule: An Initiative Is Multi-Subject When Its Effectiveness Is Conditioned on Passage of a Separate Initiative (2026 CO 58)

Date: Jul 2, 2026

Colorado Single-Subject Rule: An Initiative Is Multi-Subject When Its Effectiveness Is Conditioned on Passage of a Separate Initiative Case: In the Matter of the Title, Ballot Title, and Submission...

Colorado Single-Subject Rule: Interlocking Initiatives Contingent on Each Other’s Passage Are Multi-Subject

Date: Jul 2, 2026

Colorado Single-Subject Rule: Interlocking Initiatives Contingent on Each Other’s Passage Are Multi-Subject Introduction In 2026 CO 58 (June 29, 2026), the Colorado Supreme Court decided three...

People v. Ceus (2026 CO 59): Harmless Omission of the “Child Abuse Resulting in Death” Enhancer Finding and Clarification that “Results In” Imposes But-For (Not Proximate) Causation

Date: Jul 2, 2026

People v. Ceus (2026 CO 59): Harmless Omission of the “Child Abuse Resulting in Death” Enhancer Finding and Clarification that “Results In” Imposes But-For (Not Proximate) Causation Introduction...

Colorado “Major Purpose” for Issue-Committee Status: Holistic, Factor-Guided Inquiry with Aggregation Across Ballot Measures

Date: Jul 2, 2026

Colorado “Major Purpose” for Issue-Committee Status: Holistic, Factor-Guided Inquiry with Aggregation Across Ballot Measures Introduction Unite for Colorado v. Department of State, 2026 CO 56 (Colo....

City of Grand Junction v. Nicola: Section 13-81-103(1)(b) Imposes a One-Year Survival-Claim Deadline Upon Death of a Person Under Disability, Regardless of Legal Representative Appointment

Date: Jul 2, 2026

City of Grand Junction v. Nicola: Section 13-81-103(1)(b) Imposes a One-Year Survival-Claim Deadline Upon Death of a Person Under Disability, Regardless of Legal Representative Appointment Court:...