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Michael Karlik

@michaelkarlik.bsky.social
1.4K followers 639 following 1.5K posts

Judicial reporter at coloradopolitics.com and gazette.com. Shining a light on the work of our state and federal judges. Plus, full-time bird caretaker.

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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 9m
Magistrate Judge Cyrus Chung of Colorado frees a noncitizen who ICE unlawfully arrested without a warrant. Those arrests require probable cause that someone is likely to escape before ICE can get a warrant. But the man was *in jail* and, one would assume, not likely to escape.
Here, the petitioner’s arrest lacked a lawful basis. His arrest does not comply with
section 1226(a) and the corresponding regulations because ICE did not issue an NTA or
warrant prior to his arrest. See, e.g., Quezada-Estrada, 2026 WL 1361880, at *5; MartinezSalamanca v. Baltazar, No. 26-cv-02410-PAB, 2026 WL 2083209, at *3–4 (D. Colo. July
20, 2026). And the respondents “have not provided any argument or set forth any evidence
indicating that petitioner’s warrantless arrest was proper under § 1357” and 8 C.F.R. §
287.8(c)(2). Martinez-Salamanca, 2026 WL 2083209, at *4. Nor could they. ICE
“encountered” the petitioner while he was being held by the Mesa County police. ECF No.
11 at 2. The circumstances of his arrest show that he was not likely to escape before a
warrant could be obtained because he was released to ICE from state custody. See, e.g.,
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 15h
Less than one year after stepping down, former Colorado Justice Melissa Hart has died. Decisions aside, she and I talked off the record over the years. She was very willing to put things in context, point me in the right direction, and discuss the law: www.coloradopolitics.com/2026/10/01/f...
coloradopolitics.com
Former Colorado Justice Melissa Hart dies
Former Colorado Supreme Court Justice Melissa Hart died on Thursday.
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 16h
NEW: Colorado's U.S. District Court abruptly got a new chief judge today. Gina Rodriguez, a Biden appointee, took over for Dan Domenico, who became chief just seven months ago. He is awaiting confirmation to a 10th Circuit judgeship: www.coloradopolitics.com/2026/10/01/r...
coloradopolitics.com
Regina Rodriguez is new chief federal judge for Colorado
Regina M. Rodriguez is the new chief federal judge for Colorado, the U.S. District Court has announced.
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 20h
A mail truck driver, working for an apparently unauthorized subcontractor for the Postal Service, didn't trigger the federal government's liability for the fatal crash he caused, a federal judge in Colorado decided: www.coloradopolitics.com/2026/09/30/u...
coloradopolitics.com
US cannot be liable for fatal crash by mail subcontractor, judge says
The U.S. government cannot be held liable for a fatal crash caused by a truck driver working as a subcontractor on U.S. Postal Service mail hauls in Colorado, a federal judge decided last month.
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 20h
Two sisters who grew up in Colorado Springs may proceed to seek a judicial declaration of their citizenship, after unusual circumstances involving the law's treatment of American Samoans as non-citizens and their father's mistaken birthplace: www.coloradopolitics.com/2026/09/30/c...
coloradopolitics.com
Colorado Springs sisters may seek citizenship ruling, judge says
A federal judge rejected the government’s attempt last month to dismiss a case brought by two sisters who grew up in Colorado Springs and are seeking to declare themselves U.S. citizens based on their...
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 20h
A former T-Mobile employee in Colorado suing her employer over its COVID-19 vaccine mandate failed to show how its processing and denial of her religious exemption inflicted emotional distress on her, a federal judge decided: www.coloradopolitics.com/2026/09/30/t...
coloradopolitics.com
T-Mobile COVID vaccine protocol not ‘outrageous,’ federal judge says
A federal judge dismissed a former T-Mobile employee's claim last month alleging the company's handling of her request for a religious exemption to the COVID-19 vaccine inflicted emotional distress on...
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Bill Childs @billchilds.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Include A Link To The PDF Of The Report You’re Covering Challenge
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Daniel Suitor @danielsuitor.com · 01/10/2026
I am not trying to be rude to any one person, but it is ridiculous to report on a lawsuit and to not provide the actual complaint or even a case number!!!!! Luckily, it's already up on CourtListener storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
October 1, 2026 at 8:29 AM
Paul Walsh
Renee Good's family files two lawsuits

The family of Renee Good, the Minneapolis woman who was fatally shot by a federal immigration enforcement agent near her home in January, filed two federal lawsuits Thursday alleging wrongful death, among other contentions.

The suits names as defendants Jonathan Ross, the agent who killed Good as she sat in her SUV on Portland Avenue, numerous other federal agents and various current and former Trump administration officials.

“Renee’s death was not an accident,” read a news release from Chicago-based Romanucci & Blandin, the law firm representing Good’s family members. “It was the predictable result of a coordinated campaign by senior officials in this administration to target Minnesotans of Somali or Hispanic origin and silence anyone who dared to raise their voice in protest.

“Operation Metro Surge was built on exaggerated fraud accusations that the White House embraced as a pretext for thousands of masked, unidentified federal agents to rove neighborhoods and stop people based on how they looked. Administration officials told agents to force confrontations with observers like Renee and led agents to believe they would face no consequences for using force.”Paul Walsh
This is what the lawsuit alleges

The suit’s allegations include the actions of ICE agent Jonathan Ross and Renee Good in the moments leading up to and including the shooting:

    Good was unarmed, was suspected of no crime, and was not the subject of any law enforcement investigation.
    Her stopped vehicle had not prevented traffic (including Ross’s own vehicle) from proceeding.
    She had spoken to Ross moments earlier in calm and conciliatory terms.
    She had turned her wheels away from Ross and was driving slowly away from him and the other agents.
    Ross had moved his legs and body out of the vehicle’s path, and was out of its path, before he fired and then leaned toward the vehicle to improve his shooting position.
    No person was in the path of the vehicle, and the second and third shots, including the fatal shot to Good’s left temple, were fired through the open driver’s side window from the side of the vehicle as it moved away.
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
ICE arrested a man in Colorado, then showed him an arrest warrant. His notice to appear had the immigration prison listed as his address. Judge Philip Brimmer noted that a notice to appear must come *before* the warrant--so ICE obviously arrested first, then generated the NTA. Brimmer released him.
Turning to the substance of petitioner’s claim, he alleges that “ICE gave [him]
the form I-200” six hours after his arrest on June 9, 2026. Docket No. 1 at 6.
Petitioner also attaches a copy of the Notice to Appear, which is not dated, but
reflects that petitioner currently resides at 3130 Oakland St. Aurora, Colorado 80010,
which is the Denver Contract Detention Facility. Docket No. 1-2 at 2. Respondents
do not dispute petitioner’s assertions. Therefore, the Court finds that petitioner was
not served the Form I-200 until after his arrest and detention. Juan J.M.E. v.
Easterwood, 2026 WL 1746672, at *3 (D. Minn. Jun 8, 2026), report andFederal regulations state that a Form I-200 arrest warrant cannot be issued
until the time that a Notice to Appear is issued or any time thereafter. Ramirez
Ovando, 810 F. Supp. 3d at 1216 (citing 8 C.F.R. §§ 236.1, 1236.1). Thus, given
petitioner’s unrefuted claim that the Form I-200 and Notice to Appear were not issued
until after his arrest, the Court finds that the Form I-200 warrant was invalid.
Therefore, petitioner was not arrested pursuant to a valid warrant, in contravention of
8 U.S.C. § 1226(a).
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
An interesting pair of orders from 2 federal judges in Colorado yesterday on requests for attorney fees in unlawful immigration detention cases. Gordon Gallagher (Biden) says courts had divided on mandatory detention, so the govt.'s position was justified. William Martínez (Obama) says not a chance.
GALLAGHER order: The dispositive dispute related to the Motion is whether Respondents’ position was
substantially justified. The Court finds that it was. The dispute raised by Petitioner’s case was
whether his detention under 8 U.S.C. § 1225 was proper (D. 1). The Court found that it was not
and ordered a hearing (D. 23). Other courts, including other judges in this district, have come out
the other way. See, e.g., Singh v. Baltazar, No. 1:26-CV-01076-DDD-TPO, 2026 WL 1282828,
at *5 (D. Colo. May 11, 2026) (denying relief based on the “minority” position). While the Tenth Circuit conclusively resolved the interpretation of this statute in favor of Petitioner on June 30,
2026, Santillan Quiroz v. Mullin, 180 F.4th 1226, 1237 (10th Cir. 2026), the Court cannot say that
Respondents’ position was not substantially justified as of the date it was advanced, April 8, 2026
(D. 6),
1 because there was a split in the courts at the time. Kadidiatou D. v. Easterwood, No. 26-
CV-1218 (PJS/DLM), 2026 WL 969017, at *1 (D. Minn. Apr. 10, 2026) (“The division among
courts, by itself, is strong evidence that the government’s position was substantially justified.”).MARTINEZ order: As this Court explained in an identical posture, the Government’s about-face and
its “reckless mass detention campaign has resulted in these individuals being forced to
file thousands of habeas corpus petitions in federal courts across the country,
dramatically increasing the already over-burdened caseloads of federal district and
circuit courts across the land.” Morales Lopez, 834 F. Supp. 3d at 1202; see Santillan
Quiroz, 180 F.4th at 1235 (the Government’s new interpretation “led to a wave of
habeas petitions challenging the mandatory detention of unadmitted noncitizens based
on the Government's newly minted interpretation.”).
Thus, the Tenth Circuit’s published decision in Santillan Quiroz gives the Court
even greater legal authority to continue to hold that the Government’s position in this
case was not substantially justified. And while the Motion and the Response were filed
before the Santillan Quiroz decision was issued, this is of no moment, given this Court’s
earlier analysis and decision in Morales Lopez.
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Two immigration judges found a Mexican man would likely be tortured if deported to Mexico, but a single immigration appeals board member said the evidence was too "generalized." The 10th Circuit rejected that conclusion and ordered further review: www.coloradopolitics.com/2026/09/29/1...
coloradopolitics.com
10th Circuit IDs erroneous decision to deport after torture findings
The Denver-based federal appeals court concluded last month that the government’s immigration appellate body was wrong to order a man deported to Mexico after two immigration judges in Colorado conclu...
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
GEO Group employees at a residential drug treatment facility allegedly did nothing while observing a woman's signs of overdose, which led to death. A federal judge decided the company could be held liable if policies and failures to train caused her death: www.coloradopolitics.com/2026/09/29/j...
coloradopolitics.com
Judge declines to dismiss claim against GEO Group for overdose death
A federal judge declined last month to dismiss private prison operator The GEO Group from a lawsuit alleging its failures to train staff or adopt policies for suspected overdoses led to the death of a...
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Covie @covie93.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
trump's big 'constitution' with AI leaders refers to him as 'President of the Unites States'
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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
NEW: A letter I obtained shows that nominee Zach West failed to disclose fellowships at the Claremont Institute, Alliance Defending Freedom, and Heritage Foundation. Plus several other items. He finally disclosed these items the day before his hearing. nominationnotes.substack.com/p/oklahoma-n...
nominationnotes.substack.com
Oklahoma nominee failed to disclose the extent of his conservative ties — and more — to the Judiciary Committee
Zach West wrote to senators the day before his hearing to disclose additional items.
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heauxmo @copolitics.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Thank god for @michaelkarlik.bsky.social. Colorado is lucky to have him in its journalist corps
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
For the first time this year, two federal judges were willing to come to The Gazette's newsroom down the street from the conference and speak with me. First, Magistrate Judge Maritza Dominguez Braswell of Colorado Springs discussed her AI-focused sessions: (1/2) www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQqS...
youtube.com
Talking tech and AI with a federal judge: Interview
YouTube video by Gazette Visuals
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Artificial intelligence was also a bigger focus this year. Magistrate Judge Maritza Dominguez Braswell of Colorado, who's a national expert on AI in the judiciary, led a session, and others touched on the AI theme: www.coloradopolitics.com/2026/09/28/a...
coloradopolitics.com
AI a focus at Colorado Springs judicial conference
Federal judges and attorneys heard about developments in artificial intelligence technology across multiple sessions at this year's Colorado Springs conference organized by the Denver-based federal ap...
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
At the 10th Circuit's bench-bar conference last week, attendees heard from 2 Western governors, a judicial writing expert, 2 solicitors general, judges with expertise in sovereign citizens and more. Here's my writeup, with some additional Neil Gorsuch detail: www.coloradopolitics.com/2026/09/28/s...
coloradopolitics.com
SCOTUS, sovereign citizens, ‘disagree better’: 10th Circuit conference
Federal judges and attorneys from Colorado and beyond heard from governors, experts on the "sovereign citizen” movement, a U.S. Supreme Court justice and others during a legal conference in Colorado S...
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Ned Richardson-Little @historyned.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Remigration in action:
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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
There is a hearing tomorrow on more of Trump's judicial nominees. Would love to see Senator @blumenthal.senate.gov confront the nominees with what this official government website says — and see if they'll agree. Let's get this on a large poster in the Judiciary Committee hearing room.
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Tonight in Colorado Springs, Justice Neil Gorsuch decried "ruling by emergency edict," after having frequently joined shadow docket orders siding with the Trump administration's executive actions: www.coloradopolitics.com/2026/09/25/g...
coloradopolitics.com
Gorsuch criticizes ‘ruling by emergency edict’ in Colorado appearance
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil M. Gorsuch criticized the notion of a “perpetual emergency” in a Colorado Springs appearance on Friday in reference to certain legislation and executive actions at the ...
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Gorsuch doing heavy boosterism for US democracy: "Where else would you rather be? Go take a trip? Pick. I like Portugal. Well, there was a right-wing dictator in my lifetime. And we just go through the list. I don’t mean to disparage. I love Portugal. I love them all, but we’re really good at this."
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
I have been at the 10th Circuit’s Bench and Bar Conference in Colorado Springs since yesterday. Tonight, Justice Neil Gorsuch is being interviewed in a Q&A format. I’ll have that story later tonight.
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Colorado’s Court of Appeals clarified for the first time how criminal defendants should raise due process claims alleging someone else’s statements, not their own, were the product of police coercion: www.coloradopolitics.com/2026/09/24/a...
coloradopolitics.com
Appeals court clarifies challenges to alleged witness coercion
Colorado's second-highest court clarified for the first time on Thursday how criminal defendants may raise a due process violation based not on alleged police coercion of their own statements, but coe...
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Jason "Red5" Lyall @jaylyall.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
8 Sailors in U.S.S. Lincoln Strike Group Attempted Suicide, Navy Says. The aircraft carrier with its crew of about 5,000 sailors has spent more than 300 days at sea. Rear Adm. Donald J. Guter... described the eight suicide attempts as a “disturbingly high number indicating a serious stress level”
nytimes.com
8 Sailors in U.S.S. Lincoln Strike Group Attempted Suicide, Navy Says
The aircraft carrier with its crew of about 5,000 sailors has spent more than 300 days at sea.
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Texas Tribune @texastribune.org · 23/09/2026
The ICE officer who shot a Venezuelan man in Austin was not using a body camera during the Sunday incident, according to news reports. The officer was issued a body camera, but it is unclear why he was not wearing the device during the shooting.
texastribune.org
Reports: ICE officer in Austin shooting was not wearing body cam
The recent ICE recruit was issued a body camera, reports said. It’s not clear why he was not using the device during the Sunday shooting.
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
It's not the usual way people get released, but Judge Gordon Gallagher of Colorado immediately freed a noncitizen after the government failed to provide an immigration judge's decision denying bond as they were ordered to do.
ORDER: At 4:07 p.m. on September 21, 2026, Respondents were Ordered (D. 11) to provide the Court with a copy of the IJ's written decision denying Petitioner bond. As Respondents have not done so, it is ORDERED that Petitioner shall be released from custody within 24 hours, and Petitioner SHALL update this Court in writing upon his release. Respondents may continue to subject Petitioner to the same conditions as before he was re-detained but no more restrictions are warranted. It is FURTHER ORDERED that Respondents are prohibited from re-detaining Petitioner on the same grounds. by District Judge Gordon P Gallagher on 09/22/2026. For all non-e-filer pro se parties, a copy of this document has been sent via U.S. Mail to the mailing address of record. Text Only Entry (gpglc6, ) (Entered: 09/22/2026)
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
"And yet again, the cruelty appears to be the point," writes Judge Kato Crews of Colorado. After the government gave a noncitizen a notice to appear with completely incorrect information, an immigration judge dismissed the deportation case. But ICE is still detaining the man. Crews freed him.
ORDER: Before the Court is Petitioner Francisco Saucedo Lopez's 1 Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus. Petitioner was arrested by ICE in August 2026, however, the Notice to Appear issued to him is not accurate. Dkt. 1 , pp.910. The Notice to Appear names Francisco Saucedo Rodriguez, lists the incorrect birthdate and telephone number for Petitioner, and does not accurately describe his immigration history. Id. at p.10. DHS acknowledged that the name on the Notice to Appear was incorrect and sought to amend the Notice to Appear to correct the error. Id. However, DHS did not seek to amend any of the other incorrect factual allegations contained in the Notice to Appear. Id. The immigration judge denied the motion to amend. Id. Recently, Petitioner informed the Court that the immigration judge granted dismissal of removal proceedings because the Notice to Appear was "[i]mprovidentlyissued." Dkt. 6 , p.2. Yet, Petitioner remains detained. Id. And yet again, the cruelty appears to be the point.The Court issued an Order to Show Cause and ordered that, within five days of service, Respondents show cause why the Petition should not be granted. Dkt. 4 . According to the Return of Service filed by Petitioner, Respondents were served on September 10, 2026. Dkt. 5 . Yet, Respondents did not file their Response until September 22, 2026, well after the five-day deadline this Court demanded. In addition, without addressing the immigration judge's express finding that the Notice to Appear was improvidently issued, Respondents simply state they "are not submitting a brief in opposition to the Petition detailing the facts and circumstances of this case." Dkt. 8 , p.2.Instead of admit their error, i.e., detaining the incorrect person, Respondents simply persist and file the same boilerplate response this Court has become familiar with. There is no lawful basis to continue detaining Petitioner, and his 1 Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus is GRANTED.Respondents SHALL immediately release Petitioner and SHALL FILE a status report within TWO DAYS of this Order certifying compliance. SO ORDERED by Judge S. Kato Crews on 9/23/2026. Text Only Entry (skclc4) (Entered: 09/23/2026)
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
I looked at 2 years of oral arguments in the 10th Circuit to see the average time to decision for each judge who authored the majority opinion. Unsurprisingly, I found some variation. Unexpectedly, there was a huge gap between the slowest and fastest judges: www.coloradopolitics.com/2026/09/24/w...
coloradopolitics.com
‘Whim of the court’: 10th Circuit judges vary widely in decision-making speed
Judges on the Denver-based federal appeals court take substantially different lengths of time to author opinions, with the fastest judge releasing decisions around seven times more quickly on average ...
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Daniel Suitor @danielsuitor.com · 24/09/2026
I don't have time to write more, but ICE is working to remove people to third countries in violation of D.V.D. v. DHS. I've been up since 5:20 A.M. working with two other attorneys to prevent our client from being shipped out. If you rep someone at risk of third country removal, check on them NOW
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Magistrate Judge Cyrus Chung of Colorado ordered a new bond hearing before a different immigration judge after an unnamed IJ thought a noncitizen's (dismissed) misdemeanor assault charge was actually a violent felony and used it to deny him bond.
In the instant matter, the petitioner is entitled to a new bond hearing. First, the IJ’s
conclusion that DHS proved the petitioner’s dangerousness by clear and convincing evidence
relies on an inaccurate assessment of the facts, which cannot carry that burden. Clear and
convincing evidence “requires a high degree of probability.” Glasscock v. Utah, No. 4:18-
CV-4-DN, 2021 WL 1169862, at *6 (D. Utah Mar. 26, 2021) (quotation marks and citation
omitted). It is “that degree of proof, though not necessarily conclusive, which will produce in
the mind of the trier of fact a firm belief or conviction.” Matter of Patel, 19 I. & N. Dec. 774,
783 (1988) (quotation marks and citation omitted). Here, the IJ’s conclusion was based on
the I-213’s notation that the petitioner was arrested for second degree assault, a violent
felony. ECF No. 15-3 at 3. But that was inaccurate, as the petitioner was only charged withmisdemeanor offenses. Moreover, aside from this inaccurate reference to the petitioner’s
charges, there was no information in the I-213 regarding this alleged incident, such as a
description of the underlying conduct. The IJ’s assumption that the petitioner “intentionally
or recklessly caus[ed] injury to another by means of a deadly weapon” was based on her
misunderstanding of the charges, not reliable information. Id. And critically, the charges
were later dismissed.
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
When the Court of Appeals tells a trial judge to vacate a conviction and adjust the sentencing document accordingly, does that mean the judge gets to resentence the defendant on all remaining convictions? The Colorado Supreme Court seemed lukewarm on that: www.coloradopolitics.com/2026/09/22/c...
coloradopolitics.com
Colorado justices consider judges’ resentencing power after successful appeals
After a defendant succeeds in getting the Court of Appeals to vacate one of his convictions, can the trial judge impose a new sentence on the remaining convictions?
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Prosecutors in a murder trial explained the credibility problems with their witness by eliciting detailed testimony about the defendant's domestic abuse of her. The Colorado Supreme Court is considering whether that was fair game: www.coloradopolitics.com/2026/09/22/c...
coloradopolitics.com
Colorado justices weigh jury’s need to hear about domestic violence between defendant, witness
The Colorado Supreme Court considered on Tuesday whether it was appropriate for prosecutors to ask a key witness about a defendant's previous acts of violence toward her, in order to explain why the w...
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Emily Flitter @emilyflitter.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
NEW: The Trump administration has been trying to squeeze undocumented people out of the banking system. There are signs that it’s working (gift link) ⬇️ www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
bloomberg.com
Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Is Changing How Undocumented People Bank
In the months since the Trump administration embarked on America’s most sweeping immigration crackdown in decades, the connections between immigrant families and lenders are coming loose, according to...
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Whitney Curry Wimbish @whitneycwimbish.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Last month, @gillianbrockell.com reported that not only does ICE abuse immigrants by shackling them for hours on end, they also torment them with mockery and denying bathroom breaks.
Then a man from Eritrea or Somalia, Barry isn’t sure which, began to beg the guards to let him use the lavatory. Barry chimed in with an appeal to decency, telling the guards, “Please consider us as human beings.” But the guards were boisterous by that point, he said, and they didn’t appreciate the man’s increasingly loud and desperate pleas crashing their party.

Barry watched as a guard turned and looked at the man dead in the face and said, “You. Can pee on. You.” Another guard laughed.

“After seeing that, I just kept my head down,” Barry, 52, told me over the phone last week.
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Magistrate Judge N. Reid Neureiter gave an update on Colorado's federal district court. It appears on track to hit 6,000 civil filings this year (which is an explosion) and artificial intelligence appears to be fueling cases from self-represented plaintiffs: www.coloradopolitics.com/2026/09/18/e...
coloradopolitics.com
Exploding caseloads, increased AI use affect Colorado’s federal trial court
Colorado's federal trial court may reach an unprecedented 6,000 civil case filings this year, and is also experiencing a significant rise in filings from unrepresented litigants, U.S. Magistrate Judge...
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
A manufacturer of asbestos-containing products will now likely go out of business due to personal injury litigation after the Colorado Supreme Court said its only remaining insurer doesn't have to cover claims: www.coloradopolitics.com/2026/09/21/c...
coloradopolitics.com
Colorado justices say insurer not obligated to bail out asbestos manufacturer
The Colorado Supreme Court decided on Monday that an insurance policy that reaches beyond the limits and coverage of a company’s other policies is not obligated to step into the shoes of those policie...
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Jonathon Booth @jboothhistory.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Worried there might be some tension between “successful” and “immediate”
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Elon Green @elongreen.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Headline is not as strongly worded as the quote.
"There are reasonable grounds to believe that the reported 68 attacks that killed 223 people constituted crimes against humanity of murder under customary international law," Mr. Saul, a professor of international law at Australia's University of Sydney, concluded.
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
The taxpayers footed another bill today for $13,924 in Colorado after the government unlawfully detained two noncitizens and was ordered to pay their attorney fees.
III. CONCLUSION
Petitioner’s motion for an award of attorney fees, ECF No. 18, is GRANTED.
Respondents shall pay attorney fees in the amount of $8,956 to counsel for Petitioner.
DATED this 21st day of September 2026.
BY THE COURT:
________________________________
Charlotte N. Sweeney
United States District JudgeIII. CONCLUSION
Petitioner’s motion for an award of attorney’s fees, ECF 20, is GRANTED.
Respondents shall pay attorney fees in the amount of $4,968 to counsel for Petitioner.
DATED this 21st day of September 2026.

 BY THE COURT:

 ________________________________
 Charlotte N. Sweeney
 United States District Judge
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
No surprise (at least to me), but the Colorado Supreme Court will not be reviewing Tina Peters's appeal of her criminal convictions.
No. 26SC332, Court of Appeals Case No. 24CA1951
Petitioner:
Tina Marie Peters,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
NEW: By 4-3, the Colorado Supreme Court says an injured snowboarder validly released his claims against Vail Resorts by buying a new ski pass. Justice Rich Gabriel warned in dissent that this will lead to "manifest injustice" for patrons: www.coloradopolitics.com/2026/09/21/d...
coloradopolitics.com
Divided Colorado Supreme Court says injured snowboarder forfeited claims by buying new Vail pass
The Colorado Supreme Court ruled on Monday that a plaintiff is not entitled to continue his snowboarding injury lawsuit because he purchased another pass in the middle of litigation that released all ...
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Ian Kremer @wolverinebear.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Americans may not get results of Alzheimer’s study due to Trump cuts: Shutdown of study is latest for Trump administration, which has canceled, frozen and otherwise disrupted more than 5,700 medical research grants over two years www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026... #Project2025 #science #Blues
theguardian.com
Hundreds of ageing Americans may not get results of Alzheimer’s study due to Trump cuts
Shutdown of study is latest for Trump administration, which has canceled, frozen and otherwise disrupted more than 5,700 medical research grants over two years
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Reposted by Michael Karlik
Jane Espenson @janeespenson.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Headline for our times
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Magistrate Judge N. Reid Neureiter of Colorado ordered a second bond hearing before a new immigration judge. Instead, the same judge--Robyn Ross, former attorney for RFK Jr.--denied bond a second time. Neureiter is now directing her to explain why she violated his order and possibly face sanctions.
Indeed, the immigration order denying bond that is dated July 6, 2026 is signed
by IJ Robyn Ross, see ECF No. 18-1, the same IJ who signed the order dated August
4, 2026. See ECF No. 18-2. This is in clear violation of this Court’s unambiguous
directive that Respondents provide Petitioner with a new bond hearing before a different
IJ. Additionally, in light of this Court’s further directive, that if Respondents failed to
provide Petitioner with a bond hearing “as requested herein” then Petitioner must be 3. The IJ in question, Robyn Ross, and the Respondents shall file within SEVEN
DAYS (7) of the date of this order an explanation as to why they violated the
specific order of this Court that the Petitioner be given a bond hearing before a
different immigration judge. Federal court orders are not to be ignored. IJ
Robyn Ross and Respondents shall show cause why they should not be
sanctioned for failing to abide this Court’s specific order, which resulted in
Petitioner’s counsel having to file a second motion to enforce. The sanction
would be a requirement that IJ Robyn Ross and Respondents jointly and
severally pay Petitioner’s counsel’s fees for having to file the second motion to
enforce.
It is so ORDERED.
Dated: September 18, 2026
BY THE COURT:
N. Reid Neureiter
United States Magistrate Judge
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Judge Gordon Gallagher of Colorado orders a bond hearing for an Indian man who has been in detention for almost *two years* -- and one year beyond the date that an immigration judge granted him asylum. Gallagher said the lack of action while the govt. appeals is "arbitrary, government-caused delay."
Petitioner’s case presents just such prolonged detention due to arbitrary, governmentcaused delay. The fact that after one year Petitioner still has not received any timeline for the
government’s appeal of his grant of asylum and that Respondent has not offered any explanation
for this delay is a clear indication of an arbitrary suspension of proceedings. It is also evidence
that the government is not affording Petitioner process to challenge the merits determinations that
are keeping him in custody. Without a hearing, Petitioner has no opportunity to defend his grant
of asylum and obtain release from custody. Accordingly, Petitioner has shown that his prolonged
detention under § 1225(b) violates his due process rights. The Court cannot say specifically at
what date Petitioner’s detention became violative of his due process rights; however, over a year
without even a briefing schedule clearly crosses the line.
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Colorado's Court of Appeals cautioned that jury instructions may not be sufficient to address the harm from jurors hearing about a defendant's prior DUI convictions at trial: www.coloradopolitics.com/2026/09/17/a...
coloradopolitics.com
Appeals court suggests need for guardrails in felony DUI trials involving prior convictions
Colorado’s second-highest court cautioned on Thursday that trial judges must be vigilant in felony drunk driving cases involving a defendant’s prior convictions, as jury instructions may not always be...
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Michael Karlik @michaelkarlik.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
A 72-year-old former Fountain city employee failed to show she was terminated because of her age, the 10th Circuit decided: www.coloradopolitics.com/2026/09/17/f...
coloradopolitics.com
10th Circuit says ex-Fountain employee failed to prove age discrimination
The Denver-based federal appeals court concluded earlier this month that a 72-year-old former Fountain city employee had not shown that her termination was a product of age discrimination.
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Reposted by Michael Karlik
Alex Ip 葉清霖 @alexip718.com · 18/09/2026
This guy who assaulted a sitting member of Congress got 28 years and 10 months less jail time than a Texas resident who transported a box of zines that contained constitutionally protected content opposing ICE reason.com/2026/06/25/t...
reason.com
Texas man gets 30 years in prison for transporting 'anti-government' pamphlets
The case stems from a violent anti-ICE protest, but critics say the government's prosecution threatens First Amendment rights.
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Reposted by Michael Karlik
Will Bunch @willbunch.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
A college administrator calls the cops on a student reporter A college QB laughs at an AI video of his coach slapping a woman journalist The president lunges at a Black woman reporter who dares question him It's past time to fight back against anti-media violence www.inquirer.com/opinion/viol...
inquirer.com
Violence toward journalists is a symptom of a terminally ill U.S. democracy | Will Bunch
From Trump’s unhinged outbursts to calling the cops on a student journalist, a free press dies in tandem with the American Experiment.
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