Browse recent court opinions from the Tenth Circuit. AI-powered plain English summaries, key holdings, and legal analysis of 30 cases. Federal Appellate Court.
Tenth Circuit: Consent to search vehicle was voluntary despite arrest
United States v. Holt, decided by Tenth Circuit on April 24, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Tenth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of a motion to suppress evidence obtained...
Tenth Circuit Upholds Colorado's Firearm Background Check Law
National Association for Gun Rights v. Polis, decided by Tenth Circuit on April 23, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Tenth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of a preliminary i...
Tenth Circuit: Comanche Nation Fails to Establish Jurisdiction Over Former Member
Comanche Nation v. Ware, decided by Tenth Circuit on April 21, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Comanche Nation sued former tribal council member Ware for allegedly breaching his fiducia...
Tenth Circuit Affirms Summary Judgment in Excessive Force Case
Sanchez v. Torrez, decided by Tenth Circuit on April 21, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Tenth Circuit reviewed a district court's grant of summary judgment to a defendant police office...
Tenth Circuit Upholds Warrantless Vehicle Search Based on Probable Cause
United States v. Carpena, decided by Tenth Circuit on April 21, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Tenth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of a motion to suppress evidence obtai...
Tenth Circuit: Prison officials not liable for inmate's harm without knowledge of risk
Womble v. Chrisman, decided by Tenth Circuit on April 21, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Tenth Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of a former inmate's lawsuit alleging tha...
Tenth Circuit Upholds Vehicle Search Based on Probable Cause
United States v. King, decided by Tenth Circuit on April 21, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Tenth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of a motion to suppress evidence seized f...
Tenth Circuit Affirms DHS's Denial of Customs Fee Refund to Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines v. Department of Homeland Security, decided by Tenth Circuit on April 20, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Tenth Circuit reviewed the Department of Homeland Security's ...
Tenth Circuit Upholds Vehicle Search Based on Informant Tip
Vasquez-Garcia v. Centurion, decided by Tenth Circuit on April 15, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Tenth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of a motion to suppress evidence se...
Tenth Circuit Upholds Warrantless Vehicle Search Based on Probable Cause
United States v. Thompson, decided by Tenth Circuit on April 13, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Tenth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of a motion to suppress evidence obta...
Industrial Loan Companies Lack Standing to Challenge National Bank Act's Interest Rate Provision
National Association of Industrial Bankers v. Weiser, decided by Tenth Circuit on April 2, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Tenth Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of a law...
Tenth Circuit Upholds Warrant, Denies Suppression in Drug Case
United States v. Otuonye, decided by Tenth Circuit on April 2, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Tenth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of the defendant's motion to suppress e...
Tenth Circuit Upholds Summary Judgment for City in Excessive Force Case
Manning v. City of Tulsa, decided by Tenth Circuit on March 30, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Tenth Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment to the City of Tuls...
Appeals Court Upholds FERC Decision Rejecting Tri-State's Discriminatory Transmission Tariff Amendment
This case involved Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association's challenge to an order from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Tri-State, an electric cooperative, sought to amend i...
Appeals Court Reverses, Allows Age and National Origin Discrimination Case Against City of Las Vegas to Proceed to Trial
This case involves Mr. Salcido, a former employee of the City of Las Vegas, who sued the City alleging that he was fired because of his age and national origin, which he claims violates federal anti-d...
Tenth Circuit Affirms Illegal Reentry Conviction, Finding No Prejudice from Prior Deportation Order's Alleged Padilla Error
This case involved Mr. Aguayo-Montes, who was convicted of illegally re-entering the United States after being deported. He appealed his conviction, arguing that the prior deportation order, which was...
Tenth Circuit Affirms District Court's Judgment in United States v. Williams
This case, United States v. Williams, involved an appeal from a district court's decision regarding a criminal matter. The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals reviewed the lower court's proceedings and fou...
Appeals Court Revives Discrimination Lawsuit Against City of Tulsa, Citing Inconsistent Explanations for Firing
This case involves Ms. Jiang, a former employee of the City of Tulsa, who sued the City alleging discrimination based on her race and national origin (Chinese) and retaliation after she was fired. She...
Tenth Circuit Reverses Dismissal, Rules Federal Reserve Must Justify Master Account Denials to Eligible Institutions
Custodia Bank, a Wyoming-chartered special purpose depository institution (SPDI), sued the Federal Reserve Board of Governors and the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City after its application for a ma...
Tenth Circuit Reverses Summary Judgment for City on Police Officer's First Amendment Retaliation Claim, Affirms for Individual Officers
This case involved a former police officer, Armendariz, who sued the City of Colorado Springs and several individual defendants, alleging various claims including violations of his First Amendment rig...
Tenth Circuit Affirms Illegal Reentry Conviction, Finding Defendant Was Informed of Right to Appeal Prior Deportation Order
This case involves Mr. Zamora-Guerra, who was convicted of illegal reentry into the United States after being deported. He appealed his conviction, arguing that the prior deportation order was invalid...
Tenth Circuit Affirms Felon's Firearm Possession Conviction, Upholding Search Warrant and Evidence Rulings
This case involves Mr. Wofford, who was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He appealed his conviction, arguing that the district court made several errors. Specifica...
Appeals Court Reverses Summary Judgment, Orders Trial on Ownership of Native American Church Peyote Garden
This case involves a dispute over the ownership of a Native American Church peyote garden located on the Cantonment Colony in Blaine County, Oklahoma. Plaintiff Leslie Wahpekeche, a member of the Nati...