Legal Lasso is Law Week Colorado’s daily roundup of legal news from around the state. Not already subscribed to the daily email? Sign up here! Not subscribed to Law Week Colorado? You can change that too! And you can find our online posts on Google News.
LOCAL NEWS
Jury Trials on Pause
And the risk of coronavirus exposure is driving Denver to suspend its jury trials for the remainder of the year.
Coronavirus in Jail
Last week, 14 El Paso County sheriff’s deputies and dozens of inmates at the county’s jail tested positive for COVID-19. The Sheriff’s office is anticipating the outbreak will only get worse. (Colorado Springs Gazette)
Preparing for the Worst
Federal and local law enforcement are preparing for post-election chaos. And downtown businesses are preparing as well.
Conservative Groups Run Anti-LGBTQ Ads
Conservative groups urging voters to flip an Arvada state House seat have been using anti-transgender language in campaign ads, saying the transgender Democrat who currently holds the seat wants to force a radical sexual agenda on every Coloradan.”
Coronavirus Drives Rise in Domestic Disputes
As many feared, the coronavirus has caused a spike in domestic violence. One incident included a mother of four who was murdered as coronavirus restrictions lifted. (Denver Post)
NATIONAL NEWS
How Votes get Tallied
The Associated Press has historically played a major role in how the vote gets called across the country on Election Night. This year, it’s trying out a new system to better account for early voting as a result of the pandemic.
Republicans Seek to Throw Out Texas Ballots
Eyes are on Texas in the final push before the election, as the state has seen more early votes than it did total votes in 2016. But a court battle launched by Republicans seeks to throw out roughly 127,000 early ballots.
Lawyers are Stressed
A Law.com survey found that the upcoming election is stressing out legal professionals, as are layoffs and other coronavirus concerns. (Law.com)
Barrett’s Clerks
Justice Amy Coney Barrett made her clerk hires last week, looking outside of the top-tier Ivys and relying on clerks with experience working with other conservative justices.
Have tips for upcoming editions of Legal Lasso or comments about past ones? We want to hear from you. Reach out to us at [email protected]