Verdict . News

Jan 13, 2026•4 min read

•Jeremy Daniel Chafin was charged with illegal firearm possession as a convicted felon under federal law

10th Circuit Rules on Police Detention in Federal Gun Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit issued a ruling in United States v. Chafin, addressing whether police properly detained Jeremy Daniel Chafin during an encounter that led to federal firearm possession charges. The case involved a motion to suppress evidence based on claims of unlawful investigatory detention.

•District court granted Chafin's motion to suppress evidence, finding unlawful police detention

•Tenth Circuit denied certificate of appealability to pro se prisoner Craig Stice

10th Circuit Denies Colorado Prisoner's Habeas Appeal Certificate

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit denied a certificate of appealability to Colorado prisoner Craig Martin Stice, who sought to challenge a district court's rejection of his federal habeas corpus petition. Stice, representing himself without an attorney, was convicted in 2018 on multiple counts of child sexual assault.

•Stice was convicted in 2018 on eight counts of child sexual assault involving his roommate's daughter

•Tenth Circuit vacated 30-year sexual abuse conviction due to jurisdictional failure

10th Circuit Vacates Sexual Abuse Conviction, Orders Retrial

The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated Joel Ruiz's conviction for sexual abuse of a minor and remanded the case for retrial. The appeals court found the government failed to establish a key jurisdictional element in the 30-year sentence case.

•Government failed to establish defendant's non-Indian status as required for federal prosecution

•Agnes Mukantagara and son appeal dismissal of lawsuit challenging termination of her refugee status

Tenth Circuit Reviews Immigration Case Against DHS Secretary Noem

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit is reviewing *Mukantagara v. Noem*, a case where Agnes Mukantagara and her son challenge the termination of her refugee status by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The case comes after a district court dismissed their lawsuit for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction.

•District court dismissed case for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction, limiting federal court review

•Former FBI employee Bernardo Perez lost his Title VII discrimination appeal against Attorney General Bondi

10th Circuit Affirms Dismissal of FBI Employee's Title VII Suit

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit affirmed a district court's dismissal of a Title VII employment discrimination lawsuit filed by former FBI employee Bernardo Matias Perez against Attorney General Pamela Bondi and the FBI. The appeals court ruled without oral argument on Jan. 12, 2026.

•The Tenth Circuit unanimously affirmed dismissal under Rule 12(b)(6) without oral argument

Jan 9, 2026•4 min read

•Tenth Circuit issued order and judgment in wrongful death case against Turn Key Health Clinics LLC

Tenth Circuit Rules in Wrongful Death Case Against Oklahoma Health Clinic

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit issued an order and judgment Thursday in a wrongful death lawsuit against Turn Key Health Clinics LLC following the death of Lorri Gayle Tedder while in pretrial custody at Rogers County Jail. The case involves claims by estate representatives Ashley Myers and Courtney Vaughn against the Oklahoma health clinic and defendant Kylee Foster.

•Lorri Gayle Tedder died after suffering cardiac episode while in pretrial custody at Rogers County Jail

Jan 9, 2026•4 min read

•District courts may resolve attorney-client disputes without improperly participating in plea negotiations

Tenth Circuit: District Courts Can Resolve Attorney-Client Disputes

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit ruled that district courts may address disagreements between criminal defendants and their attorneys without improperly participating in plea negotiations. The January 9, 2026 decision in *United States v. Eckstein* provides guidance on the boundaries of judicial involvement in attorney-client conflicts.

•The ruling provides precedential guidance throughout the Tenth Circuit on judicial boundaries in criminal cases

Jan 8, 2026•4 min read

•Three Oklahoma City officers appeal district court's denial of qualified immunity in excessive force case

10th Circuit Reviews Qualified Immunity Denial in Police Shooting Case

Three Oklahoma City police officers are appealing a federal district court's decision to deny them qualified immunity in a civil rights lawsuit filed by the estate of Dawawn Q. McCoy. The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals is reviewing the excessive force claims stemming from an incident at the Biltmore Hotel.

•The lawsuit was filed under Section 1983 by the estate of Dawawn Q. McCoy following his death

Jan 8, 2026•4 min read

•Tenth Circuit affirmed dismissal of federal habeas petition challenging state court custody ruling

10th Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Federal Habeas Petition in Child Custody Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a federal habeas corpus petition filed by Kandra Amboh seeking return of her children after losing custody to Nicholas Haney in Utah state court proceedings that included a protective order.

•Federal courts lack jurisdiction to review state family court custody determinations through habeas corpus