10th Cir.

United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit

Every decision we've summarized from United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.

Apr 23 2026
2:23-CV-00172-SWS Panel Decision

Liberty Mutual Insurance Company v. Cincinnati Insurance Company

The Tenth Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment, holding that Cincinnati Insurance Company had a duty to defend its subcontractor as an additional insured under Wyoming law. The court found the contractual language and underlying facts clearly triggered the insurer's obligation to cover defense costs because the injuries were caused in part by the subcontractor's ongoing operations.

Civil Insurance Summary Judgment
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Apr 23 2026
25-6190 Panel Decision

Kelley v. Sparks, et al.

The Tenth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a prisoner's Eighth Amendment claim because the plaintiff failed to explain why the magistrate judge's recommendation was incorrect in his objections. The court held that the district court properly screened the complaint under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B) and did not err by declining to distinguish between personal and official capacity claims.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983
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Apr 23 2026
4:24-CR-00107-SEH-1) Panel Decision

United States v. Presley

The Tenth Circuit affirmed a 264-month prison sentence for a high school football coach convicted of sexually abusing multiple minors and producing child pornography. The court held that the district court properly applied the presumption of reasonableness to a within-guideline-range sentence, rejecting the defendant's argument that the sentence was substantively unreasonable.

Child Sexual Abuse Material Criminal
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Apr 23 2026
4:23-CV-00076-DN) Panel Decision

Sherratt v. Braithwaite, et al.

The Tenth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of William Sherratt's federal civil rights lawsuit against state judges and prosecutors, holding that absolute immunity bars liability for acts performed in their official capacities. The court ruled that because the underlying criminal conviction remains valid, alleged judicial or prosecutorial misconduct does not constitute a cognizable constitutional violation under Section 1983.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983
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Apr 23 2026
1:24-CV-00001-GPG-STV Panel Decision

National Association for Gun Rights, et al. v. Polis

The Tenth Circuit affirmed the district court's ruling upholding Colorado's ban on unserialized firearms while reversing the lower court's standing determination regarding the purchase of such parts. The appellate court held that the possession ban regulates conduct beyond commercial sales conditions and is not presumptively constitutional under the Second Amendment.

Civil Forfeiture / Penalty Standing
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Apr 22 2026
5:24-CR-00389-J-1) Panel Decision

United States v. Mays

The Tenth Circuit affirmed Brian Keith Mays's sentence, rejecting his claim that denying a sentencing reduction for acceptance of responsibility violated his Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial. The court held that the Sentencing Guidelines do not impermissibly penalize defendants for exercising trial rights when those defendants fail to demonstrate genuine remorse.

Criminal Firearms Sentencing Guidelines
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Apr 21 2026
1:24-CV-00646-KWR-LF Panel Decision

Sanchez, et al. v. Torrez, et al.

The Tenth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of landowners' Fifth Amendment takings claims, ruling that they failed to state a valid claim for a judicial taking. Although the court found the plaintiffs had standing and that sovereign immunity did not bar the suit, it held that the New Mexico Supreme Court's decision merely clarified existing public easements rather than taking established property rights.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Standing
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Apr 21 2026
6:14-CV-00385-JAR Panel Decision

Womble v. Chrisman, et al.

The Tenth Circuit affirmed summary judgment on a prisoner's claim regarding inadequate nutrition but reversed the ruling on unsanitary toilet and shower conditions. The court held that a reasonable jury could find prison officials acted with deliberate indifference to the Eighth Amendment regarding the facilities, remanding the case for trial on that specific claim.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Eighth Amendment - Cruel & Unusual Qualified Immunity
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Apr 21 2026
4:24-CR-00081-JDR-1) Panel Decision

United States v. King

The Tenth Circuit affirmed Adam Joseph King's conviction for sexual offenses in Indian Country, ruling that the evidence was sufficient to prove the victim's Indian status and the defendant's non-Indian status. The court further held that the district court did not abuse its discretion by allowing alternate charges under two different federal statutes, provided the jury was instructed to convict on only one theory.

Criminal Fifth Amendment - Double Jeopardy Sex Offenses Supervised Release
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