Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: Courts

Colorado Supreme Court committee votes to explore role of AI in practice of law
Approved, gazette.com, State

Colorado Supreme Court committee votes to explore role of AI in practice of law

By Michael Karlik | Colorado Politics An advisory committee to the Colorado Supreme Court recently created a subcommittee that will evaluate existing rules barring the unauthorized practice of law to determine if changes are necessary to accommodate emerging artificial intelligence-powered legal tools. The March 1 vote of the Advisory Committee on the Practice of Law came at the request of the Colorado Access to Justice Commission. The commission advocates for expanded legal aid and better tools for self-represented litigants in civil cases. The commission's director, Elisa Overall, noted AI tools can foster access to justice and efficiency in the legal profession. "In collaboration with Colorado Legal Services, the ATJC is in the process of developing a robust online legal inform...
Pueblo’s new Fuel & Iron food hall accused in lawsuit of shorting its builders as construction lagged, costs soared
Approved, Southern Colorado, The Colorado Sun

Pueblo’s new Fuel & Iron food hall accused in lawsuit of shorting its builders as construction lagged, costs soared

By Jennifer Brown and Tamara Chuang | Colorado Sun One of the coolest endeavors to open in Pueblo in recent years is tangled up in a court battle after being accused of not paying its builders for the full cost of the project.  Fuel & Iron, the historic hardware store transformed into affordable housing and a trendy food hall where visitors can find cocktails and beer, pizza and fried chicken, opened in April. It was sued in May, its contractor claiming it was shorted more than $2.4 million.  The dispute is a black eye on a project heralded as the perfect mix of private investment and public dollars, a $16 million plan cobbled together from 17 sources, including grants and local, state and federal government investments. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE COLORADO SUN
Appeals court rules more than 100 J6 sentences were improperly lengthened
Approved, National, Politico

Appeals court rules more than 100 J6 sentences were improperly lengthened

By KYLE CHENEY | Politico A federal appeals court panel ruled Friday that Jan. 6 defendants who obstructed Congress’ work had their sentences improperly lengthened by judges who determined that they had interfered with the “administration of justice.” The decision could force district court judges in Washington, D.C. to recalculate, and perhaps reduce, the sentences of more than 100 Jan. 6 rioters convicted of felony obstruction for their roles in the attack on the Capitol that threatened the transfer of power three years ago. Federal sentencing guidelines encourage judges to apply the “administration of justice” enhancement to defendants who disrupt judicial proceedings like grand jury investigations or court hearings. The enhancement can increase recommended sentences ...
Did Denver Democrat use position to ensure payday from same law he sponsored?
Approved, completecolorado.com, State

Did Denver Democrat use position to ensure payday from same law he sponsored?

By Sherrie Peif | Complete Colorado The timing between the filing of a class action lawsuit against a Denver rental property owner and a new law allowing for greater leeway over who can file such lawsuits is being scrutinized. At the center of the controversy is whether one of the attorneys for the plaintiffs, State Rep. Steven Woodrow, used his power and position as a state legislator to ensure himself, along with other trial lawyers, big payouts for successful suits that otherwise would likely not advance. A Denver judge said as much in his ruling to allow the class action to move forward. Because “the claims are small, tenants likely wouldn’t have the motivation to take on the expense of individual lawsuits, so class action is the best path forward,” said Denver District Court ...
Colorado’s public defenders say they need 200 more attorneys to provide effective counsel
Approved, State, The Colorado Sun

Colorado’s public defenders say they need 200 more attorneys to provide effective counsel

By Brian Eason | Colorado Sun Colorado needs three times the number of public defenders it employs today to meet new workload standards for criminal defense, according to a national study backed by the American Bar Association. For next budget year, which starts July 1, Colorado’s Office of the State Public Defender is asking for 70 more attorneys and 58 new support staff, including paralegals and investigators, at a total cost of $14.7 million. That’s still far less than 230 new attorneys the office says it needs — let alone the 700-plus hires it would take to triple current staffing levels to meet the study’s recommendations. But even the partial request was enough to shock members of Colorado’s Joint Budget Committee. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE COLORADO SUN...
Jury finds ex-NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre liable for corruption, orders repayment of $4.3M to gun rights group
Approved, Fox News, National

Jury finds ex-NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre liable for corruption, orders repayment of $4.3M to gun rights group

By Emma Colton | Fox News A Manhattan jury in the civil corruption case brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James against the National Rifle Association (NRA) and its former CEO found the organization liable for financial mismanagement. The jury determined that Wayne LaPierre's violations of his duties cost the NRA $5,400,000, but he had already paid roughly $1 million back to the organization. LaPierre was ordered to repay the group $4,351,231. The New York jury said that the NRA's CEO for three decades misspent millions of dollars of the group’s money on luxury personal purchases.
Trump ordered to pay over $350M in civil fraud case
Approved, Forbes, National

Trump ordered to pay over $350M in civil fraud case

By Alison Durkee | Forbes Former President Donald Trump and his co-defendants will have to pay $364 million for fraudulently misstating the value of his and his company’s assets on financial statements, a New York judge ruled Friday, levying significant punishments against the ex-president and his business that could hurt him financially and affect his business’ operations. New York Attorney General Letitia James sued Trump, his associates — including his sons — and the Trump Organization for allegedly fraudulently misstating the value of assets on financial documents in order to obtain more favorable business deals and reflect a higher net worth for Trump. READ THE FULL STORY AT FORBES
Wildlife officials sued for skipping NEPA regs to release wolves in Colorado
Approved, coloradopeakpolitics.com, Commentary, State

Wildlife officials sued for skipping NEPA regs to release wolves in Colorado

By Colorado Peak Politics Radical big city environmentalists have been using federal red tape against westerners for decades to kick us off the public lands in our backyard and deprive us of every livelihood it provides, from natural resources to recreation. It’s past time for some payback. So thank you Colorado Conservation Alliance for filing a lawsuit against the state and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for failing to follow those same rules and regulations in their zealous pursuit of turning loose apex predators loose in the high country. The Fence Post reports from the lawsuit: The defendants did not conduct the environmental review process under NEPA for the action of taking an apex predator (the gray wolf) from a population hundreds of miles away and introducing...

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