CASE ANNOUNCEMENTS
COLORADO SUPREME COURT
MONDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2017
"Slip opinions" are the opinions delivered by the Supreme Court Justices and are subject to
modification, rehearing, withdrawal, or clerical corrections. Modifications to previously posted
opinions will be linked to the case number in the petition for rehearing section the day the
changes are announced.
Click on the case number to view the opinion in pdf format.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OPINIONS
2017 CO 99
Supreme Court Case No. 14SC341
Certiorari to the Colorado Court of Appeals
Court of Appeals Case No. 11CA7404
Petitioner:
Jesus Manuel Ronquillo,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Judgment Reversed
en banc
JUSTICE HOOD delivered the Opinion of the Court.
1
COLORADO SUPREME COURT CASE ANNOUNCEMENTS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PETITIONS FOR REHEARING
NONE
GRANTED PETITIONS FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI
No. 16SC485, Court of Appeals Case No. 14CA204
Petitioner:
The People of the State of Colorado,
v.
Respondent:
Glenwood Hunter, Jr.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari GRANTED. The judgment of the Colorado Court of
Appeals is vacated, and the case is remanded to the Colorado Court of Appeals for
reconsideration in light of People v. Clemens, 14SC49, 2017 CO 89. EN BANC.
Whether the court of appeals erred in holding that Juror L’s lack of response to the trial
court’s rehabilitative questioning in voir dire was silence.
DENIED AS TO ALL OTHER ISSUES.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2
COLORADO SUPREME COURT CASE ANNOUNCEMENTS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC33, Court of Appeals Case No. 15CA1514
Petitioners:
State of Colorado, Colorado Department of Revenue and Executive Director of the
Colorado Department of Revenue,
v.
Respondents:
John Medved and Debra Medved.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari GRANTED. EN BANC.
JUSTICE BOATRIGHT does not participate.
Whether the statute of limitations of a CE [conservation easement] donor applies to and
binds the transferees of the resulting tax credit, as provided by section 39-22-522(7)(i),
C.R.S. (2005).
Whether the Department’s regulation, 1 C.C.R. 201-2:39-22-522(3)(g)(iii), constitutes a
reasonable statutory interpretation of section 39-22-522(7)(i), C.R.S. (2005) entitled to
deference.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC147, Court of Appeals Case No. 13CA2117
Petitioner:
Juvenal Onel Garcia,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari GRANTED. EN BANC.
[REFRAMED] Whether the court of appeals erred in holding that an instructional error
is not plain under the plain error standard if the erroneous instruction tracks the model
jury instruction existing at the time of trial.
[REFRAMED] Whether the court of appeals erred in holding that an instructional error
is not plain even though the error was plain at the time of direct appeal.
[REFRAMED] Whether by consolidating the first- and second-degree sexual assault
statutes into a single statute in 2000, the General Assembly intended the circumstances
specified in section 18-3-402(4), C.R.S. (2017) to no longer require proof of the mens rea
“knowingly” in order to elevate sexual assault to a class three felony.
DENIED AS TO ALL OTHER ISSUES.
3
COLORADO SUPREME COURT CASE ANNOUNCEMENTS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DENIED PETITIONS FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI
Case No. 16SC957, Court of Appeals Case No. 13CA547
Petitioner:
Raymond Lee Ortega,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 16SC964, Court of Appeals Case No. 15CA1878
Petitioner:
Timothy A. Jackson,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado,
and Concerning
T. A. J., Jr.; A. L. J.; J. S. J.; H. J. J.; and A. K. J.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 16SC974, Arapahoe County District Court Case No. 15CV30461
Petitioner:
Carl Taylor,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC31, Court of Appeals Case No. 14CA1385
Petitioner:
James Hardy,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
JUSTICE MÁRQUEZ does not participate.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4
COLORADO SUPREME COURT CASE ANNOUNCEMENTS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC36, Court of Appeals Case No. 14CA710
Petitioner:
William Daniel Hardin,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC62, Court of Appeals Case No. 13CA1745
Petitioner:
The People of the State of Colorado,
v.
Respondent:
Ashley P. Tafoya.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC70, Court of Appeals Case No. 13CA2278
Petitioner:
Larry Joseph Baca,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC99, Court of Appeals Case No. 14CA2031
Petitioner:
Abigail Crawford,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
JUSTICE MÁRQUEZ does not participate.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5
COLORADO SUPREME COURT CASE ANNOUNCEMENTS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC127, Court of Appeals Case No. 15CA555
Petitioners:
Kenneth G. Rohrbach; Karen L. Rohrbach; Paul K. Rohrbach; and Compost Express,
Inc., a Colorado corporation,
v.
Respondent:
Board of County Commissioners of Elbert County, Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC137, Court of Appeals Case No. 13CA1937
Petitioner:
The People of the State of Colorado,
v.
Respondent:
Ignacio Jimenez.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC157, Jefferson County District Court Case No. 16CV211
Petitioner:
Wheat Ridge Municipal Court,
v.
Respondent:
Richard Eley.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC170, Court of Appeals Case No. 14CA1451
Petitioner:
Susan Carol Rechtwig,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6
COLORADO SUPREME COURT CASE ANNOUNCEMENTS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC183, Court of Appeals Case No. 13CA2373
Petitioner:
Bobby Ray Dempsey,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC218, Court of Appeals Case No. 14CA1425
Petitioner:
Douglas William Eberhardt,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC221, Court of Appeals Case No. 14CA86
Petitioner:
Ronald Louis Larkins,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC238, Court of Appeals Case No. 15CA900
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado,
In the Interest of
Petitioner:
A.A.M.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7
COLORADO SUPREME COURT CASE ANNOUNCEMENTS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC249, Court of Appeals Case No. 14CA932
Petitioner:
Douglas Abraham Smith,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC251, Court of Appeals Case No. 16CA17
Petitioner:
Matthew Lee Weber,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC265, Court of Appeals Case No. 15CA1450
Petitioner:
Michael Dean Pfifer,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC266,Court of Appeals Case No. 14CA1727
Petitioner:
Alina Raffa,
v.
Respondents:
Henry B. Clark; Fitz Apartments; Fitz 46 LLLP, a Colorado liability limited partnership;
and Loeva Joanne Southard-Osorto.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8
COLORADO SUPREME COURT CASE ANNOUNCEMENTS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC267, Court of Appeals Case No. 14CA1992
Petitioner:
Ezequiel Dominguez,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC274, Court of Appeals Case No. 15CA1089
Petitioner:
Corey Lee Handy,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC300, Court of Appeals Case No. 11CA1851
Petitioner:
T. Lawton Roberts,
v.
Respondents:
Laura A. Newman, LLC d/b/a Herb's and d/b/a Herb's Jazz & Blues; Holly Morrison,
individually; Laura A. Newman, individually; and L H LLC.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC321, Court of Appeals Case No. 14CA2221
Petitioner:
Christopher John Maher,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9
COLORADO SUPREME COURT CASE ANNOUNCEMENTS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC324, Court of Appeals Case No. 14CA1138
Petitioner:
Johnny Manuel Valdez,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC354, Court of Appeals Case No. 14CA766
Petitioner:
Carl Lee Griego,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
JUSTICE MÁRQUEZ does not participate.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC360, Court of Appeals Case No. 15CA174
Petitioner:
Jerome C. Gilbert,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC361, Court of Appeals Case No. 15CA1971
Petitioner:
Jason Benjamin Reynolds,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10
COLORADO SUPREME COURT CASE ANNOUNCEMENTS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC382, Court of Appeals Case No. 16CA920
Petitioners:
Arthur Keith Whitelaw, III; John Derungs; Katherine K. Mccrimmon; Laura Pitmon;
Denise Sigon, f/k/a Denise L. Sager; Alan Singer; and Rita Singer;
v.
Respondents:
Denver City Council, including the individual Council Members in their official
capacity: Albus Brooks, Charlie Brown, Jeanne Faatz, Christopher Herndon, Robin
Kniech, Peggy Lehmann, Paul Lopez, Judy H. Montero, Chris Nevitt, Debbie Ortega,
Jeanne Robb, Susan Shepherd, Mary Beth Susman; Manager of Community Planning
and Development, Brad Buchanan, in his official capacity; Denver Planning Board
including the individual Board members in their official capacity, Andy Baldyga, Jim
Bershof, Shannon Gifford, Renee Martinez-Stone, Brittany Morris Saunders, Joel Noble,
Susan Pearce, Arleen Taniwaki, Julie Underdahl, Frank Schultz, and Chris Smith; City
and County of Denver; and Cedar Metropolitan LLC.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC411, Court of Appeals Case No. 14CA872
Petitioner:
Kent Evan Privette,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC422, Court of Appeals Case No. 16CA1570
Petitioner:
Anthony J. Lucero,
v.
Respondents:
Industrial Claim Appeals Office of the State of Colorado, Wyndham Hotel & Resorts,
and Zurich North America Insurance Company.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11
COLORADO SUPREME COURT CASE ANNOUNCEMENTS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC424, Court of Appeals Case No. 14CA1171
Petitioner:
Stephen Paul Apodaca,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC436, Court of Appeals Case No. 16CA1556
Petitioner:
Jeckonias N. Muragara,
v.
Respondents:
Industrial Claim Appeals Office of the State of Colorado, Sears Holdings d/b/a Sears
Roebuck & Company, and Ace American Insurance.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC437, Court of Appeals Case No. 16CA1244
Petitioner:
Michael Gibson,
v.
Respondent:
Michelle Clare.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC438, Court of Appeals Case No. 15CA646
Petitioner:
Dexter L. Disnuke,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12
COLORADO SUPREME COURT CASE ANNOUNCEMENTS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC439, Court of Appeals Case No. 16CA928
Petitioner:
Steven James Garcia,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC440, Court of Appeals Case No. 15CA1265
Petitioner:
Adam Lee Jones,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC442, Court of Appeals Case No. 16CA3
Petitioner:
Michael George McKeon,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
JUSTICE MÁRQUEZ does not participate.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC445, Court of Appeals Case No. 13CA821
Petitioner:
Edward Timothy Romero,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13
COLORADO SUPREME COURT CASE ANNOUNCEMENTS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC446, Court of Appeals Case No. 15CA1424
Petitioner:
Chad J. Farrells,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
JUSTICE MÁRQUEZ does not participate.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC449, Court of Appeals Case No. 13CA1553
Petitioner:
Stephen Angelo Montano,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC456, Court of Appeals Case No. 16CA1174
Petitioner:
Daniel L. Denny,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC463, Court of Appeals Case No. 16CA357
Petitioner:
Rita Lewis,
v.
Respondent:
Denise Phillips.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14
COLORADO SUPREME COURT CASE ANNOUNCEMENTS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC467, Court of Appeals Case No. 15CA208
Petitioner:
Daniel M. Bessey,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC474, Court of Appeals Case No. 15CA2030
Petitioner:
Nicole Marie Armendariz,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC479, Court of Appeals Case No. 15CA1682
Petitioner:
Janet Marie Nielson,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC485, Court of Appeals Case No. 16CA535
Petitioner:
Alexis R. Ortiz,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
15
COLORADO SUPREME COURT CASE ANNOUNCEMENTS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC487, Court of Appeals Case No. 14CA1053
Petitioner:
Xavier Sebastian McDaniel,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC491, Court of Appeals Case No. 17CA299
Petitioner:
Yvette M. Kelley,
v.
Respondents:
Industrial Claim Appeals Office of the State of Colorado and Walmart Associates, Inc.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC498, Court of Appeals Case No. 16CA33
Petitioner:
Colin Lucas McGuire,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC499, Court of Appeals Case No. 14CA1227
Petitioner:
Nicholas Allen Pierce,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
16
COLORADO SUPREME COURT CASE ANNOUNCEMENTS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC624, Court of Appeals Case No. 16CA1921
Petitioner:
L.T.,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado,
In the Interest of Minor Children: A.W.-T., P.J.W., and J.L.W
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 17SC647, Court of Appeals Case No. 17CA552
Petitioner:
J.C.,
v.
Respondent:
The People of the State of Colorado,
In the Interest of Minor Child: J.C. II.
Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
17