Case Announcements, 12-14-09

8/14/2019 Case Announcements, 12-14-09

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

COLORADO SUPREME COURT

MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2009----------------------------------------------------------------

1

"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

SUPREME COURT, STATE OF COLORADO

Two East 14th Avenue

Denver, Colorado 80203

Certiorari to the Colorado Court of Appeals

Court of Appeals Case No. 07CA2354

Case No. 09SC68

Petitioner:

Board of County Commissioners of the County of Boulder,

v.

Respondent:

Hygiene Fire Protection District.

JUDGMENT AFFIRMED

EN BANC

JUSTICE HOBBS delivered the Opinion of the Court.

JUSTICE MARTINEZ dissents, and JUSTICE COATS and JUSTICE EID join in the

dissent.

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http://www.courts.state.co.us/Courts/Supreme_Court/opinions/2009/09SC68.pdfhttp://www.courts.state.co.us/Courts/Supreme_Court/opinions/2009/09SC68.pdfhttp://www.courts.state.co.us/Courts/Supreme_Court/opinions/2009/09SC68.pdf


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Interlocutory Appeal from the District Court

Weld County District Court Case No. 08CR2087

Honorable James F. Hartmann, Judge

Case No. 09SA69

Plaintiff-Appellant:

The People of the State of Colorado,

v.

Defendant-Appellee:

Ramon Ricardo Gutierrez.

JUDGMENT AFFIRMED

EN BANC

JUSTICE BENDER delivered the Opinion of the Court.

JUSTICE RICE dissents, and JUSTICE EID joins in the dissent.

JUSTICE COATS dissents.

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http://www.courts.state.co.us/Courts/Supreme_Court/opinions/2009/09SA69.pdfhttp://www.courts.state.co.us/Courts/Supreme_Court/opinions/2009/09SA69.pdfhttp://www.courts.state.co.us/Courts/Supreme_Court/opinions/2009/09SA69.pdf


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Case No. 08SC1073

Petitioner:

Wolf Ranch, LLC, a Colorado limited liability company,

v.

Respondent:

The City of Colorado Springs, a Colorado home-rule city.

JUDGMENT AFFIRMED

EN BANC

JUSTICE RICE delivered the Opinion of the Court.

JUSTICE EID dissents, and JUSTICE MARTINEZ joins in the dissent.

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Case No. 08SC588

Petitioner/Cross-Respondent:


v.

Respondent/Cross-Petitioner:

David Arthur Wittrein.

JUDGMENT REVERSED

EN BANC

JUSTICE RICE delivered the Opinion of the Court.

JUSTICE MARTINEZ concurs in judgment only and JUSTICE BENDER joins in the

concurrence.

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Case No. 08SC351

Petitioners:

Curious Theatre Company, a Colorado non-profit corporation; Paragon

Theatre, a Colorado non-profit corporation; and Theatre13, Inc., a

Colorado non-profit corporation,

v.

Respondents:

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and James Martin,

its Executive Director.

JUDGMENT AFFIRMED

EN BANC

JUSTICE COATS delivered the Opinion of the Court.

JUSTICE HOBBS dissents.

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PETITIONS FOR REHEARING






Case No. 08SC698

Petitioner:

The Board of County Commissioners of the County of Rio Blanco, State of

Colorado,

v.

Respondent:

ExxonMobil Oil Corporation.

Petition for Rehearing DENIED. EN BANC.

JUSTICE COATS does not participate.

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Appeal from the District Court

Water Division 1, Case Nos. 03CW99 & 03CW177

Honorable Roger A. Klein, Judge

Case No. 08SA224

Concerning the Application for Water Rights of Well Augmentation

Subdistrict of the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District and South

Platte Well Users Association in Adams, Morgan, and Weld Counties.

Applicants-Appellants:

Well Augmentation Subdistrict of the Central Colorado Water Conservancy

District and South Platte Well Users Association,

v.

Opposers-Appellees:

City of Aurora; Bijou Irrigation Company; Bijou Irrigation District; City

of Boulder; Centennial Water and Sanitation District; Pawnee Well Users

Inc.; Cache La Poudre Water Users Association; Lower Latham Reservoir

Company; New Cache La Poudre Irrigating Company; City of Black Hawk; City

and County of Denver; Ducommun Business Trust; City of Sterling; East

Cherry Creek Valley Water and Sanitation; Public Service Company of

Colorado; City of Englewood; Fort Morgan Reservoir; Jackson Lake

Reservoir; The Farmers Reservoir and Irrigation Company; United Water and

Sanitation District; City of Greeley; Harmony Ditch Company;

Irrigationists Association; Lupton Ditch Co. & Lupton Meadows Ditch Co.;

North Poudre Irrigation Company; Riverside Irrigation District; Riverside

Reservoir & Land Company; South Adams County Water & Sanitation District;

State & Division Engineers; The Henrylyn Irrigation District; City of

Thornton; Westfarm LLC; City of Westminster; and Greeley Irrigation

Company,

and

Appellee Pursuant to C.A.R. 1(e):

James Hall, Division Engineer for Water Division No. 1.
http://www.courts.state.co.us/Courts/Supreme_Court/opinions/2008/08SA224.pdfhttp://www.courts.state.co.us/Courts/Supreme_Court/opinions/2008/08SA224.pdfhttp://www.courts.state.co.us/Courts/Supreme_Court/opinions/2008/08SA224.pdf


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Opinion modified, and as modified, Petition for Rehearing DENIED. EN

BANC.

JUSTICE EID does not participate.

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PETITIONS FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI

No. 09SC153

Court of Appeals Case Nos. 07CA1195

Petitioners:

Boulder & Weld Reservoir Company, a Colorado nonprofit corporation;

Six Mile No. 2 Reservoir Company, a Colorado nonprofit corporation;

Boulder & White Rock Ditch & Reservoir Company, a Colorado nonprofit

corporation; and Julius Van Thuyne, Jr., an individual,

v.

Respondent:

Daniel T. Long.

Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.

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No. 09SC219


In re the Marriage of:

Petitioner:

Carol Powell,

and

Respondent:

David Powell.


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MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2009----------------------------------------------------------------

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No. 09SC229


Petitioner:

The Estate of Catherine Ford,

v.

Respondents:

Danny J. Eicher, M.D.; and Consultants in Obstetrics and Gynecology,

P.C.

Petition for Writ of Certiorari GRANTED. EN BANC.

Summary of Issue:

Whether the court of appeals properly applied People v. Shreck, 22

P.3d 68 (Colo. 2001), and People v. Ramirez, 155 P.3d 371 (Colo.

2007), in its review of the trial courts exclusion of expert

testimony when it concluded that the causation testimony of two

medical experts was reliable and therefore admissible and reversed the

trial courts exclusion of that testimony.

DENIED AS TO ALL OTHER ISSUES.

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No. 09SC231


Petitioner:

Ivan Ramirez,

v.

Respondent:

The People of the State of Colorado.


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No. 09SC275


Petitioner:David Dwayne Allen,v.

Respondent:



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MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2009----------------------------------------------------------------

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No. 09SC333

El Paso County District Court case No. 08CV3585

Petitioner:

Curtis Mason Jones,

v.

Respondent:



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No. 09SC372


Petitioner:

James A. Carleo,

v.

Respondents:

King & Greisen, LLP; Diane S. King; and David Lichtenstein.


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No. 09SC377


Petitioner/Cross-Respondent:Larry Foiles,

v.

Respondent/Cross-Petitioner:

Deanna Whittman, in her capacity as Personal Representative for the

Estate of Lily Whittman.

Petition for Writ of Certiorari GRANTED. Cross-Petition for Writ of

Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.

Summary of Issue:

Whether the court of appeals erred when it held that the personalrepresentative of the surviving spouses estate can assert the exempt

property allowance (C.R.S. section 15-11-403) in the decedent spouses

estate.


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No. 09SC380


Petitioners:

Boulder County Board of Commissioners; and JoAnn Groff, Colorado

Property Tax Administrator,

v.

Respondents:

HealthSouth Corporation and Board of Assessment Appeals.

P

etitions for Writ of Certiorari GRANTED. EN BANC.

Summary of Issues:

Whether a taxpayer has a statutory right to a tax abatement and refund

when the taxpayer overstated assets by including false entries on tax

schedules used for property valuation.

Whether the equitable doctrine of unclean hands prevents a taxpayer

from receiving a tax abatement and refund when the taxpayer overstated

assets by including false entries on tax schedules used for property

aluation.v


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No. 09SC449Court of Appeals Case No. 07CA1259

Petitioner:

Jeffrey Allen Huggins, Sr.,

v.

Respondent:



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No. 09SC466


Petitioners:

Rebecca Jackson, Tiffany Chahmi, and Idalmis Cooley,

v.

Respondents:

American Family Mutual Insurance Co. and Chad A. Hicks.


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No. 09SC491


Petitioner:

Thoro Products Company,

v.

Respondents:

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment; Honorable Robert

N. Spencer, in his official capacity; and State of Colorado Office of

Administrative Courts.


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No. 09SC500


Petitioner:

Jerome Anderson,

v.

Respondent:



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No. 09SC522


Petitioners:

Frank W. Baumgartner, Jr.; North Peak Townhomes, LLC, a Colorado

limited liability corporation; Frederick G. Cooke; and Caribou

Construction, Inc., a Colorado corporation;

v.

Respondent:

North Peak Homeowners Association, Inc., a Colorado nonprofit

corporation.


----------------------------------------------------------------------No. 09SC523


Petitioners:

Denise McNeil and Alencia Moore,

v.

Respondents:

Leeds, Morelli & Brown, P.C., a New York professional service

corporation; and Nextel Communications, Inc., a Delaware corporation.


JUSTICE RICE does not participate.----------------------------------------------------------------------

No. 09SC588


Petitioner:

Red Horse Hill, LLC,

v.

Respondents:

Kings Deer Development, LLC and Cathedral Pines By Kings Deer, LLLP.


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No. 09SC626


Petitioner:

Patricia Henisse,

v.

Respondents:

First Transit, Inc., an Ohio corporation licensed to do business in

Colorado; and Eric Victor Cotton.

Petition for Writ of Certiorari GRANTED. EN BANC.

Summary of Issues:

Whether the court of appeals erred in holding that the employee of a

private business is a public employee and entitled to governmental

immunity based on the employers agreement with the Regional

Transportation District.

Whether the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act limits the liability of

a private employer that contracts with a governmental entity to

perform public services when the negligence of that businesss

employee causes injury and the sole claim against the employer is for

vicarious liability of its employee.

----------------------------------------------------------------------


Petitioner:

Prado Condominium Association, Inc.,

v.

Respondents:

Prado Condominium Corporation; 300 W. 11th Retail, LLC; Highland

Properties 2907 LLC; Zabel Properties, Ltd., LLLP; Mark E. Kalinoski;

Connie S. Kalinoski; Bettye Clement; Donna L. Weeden; and Felicia

Majcherek.

Petition for Writ of Certiorari DENIED. EN BANC.----------------------------------------------------------------------


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Case No. 09SC682


Petitioner:

William Albert Clare,

v.

Respondent:



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No. 09SC699


Petitioner:

Patrick Youngs,

v.

Respondents:

White Moving & Storage, Pinnacol Assurance, and Industrial Claim

Appeals Office.


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Case No. 09SC710


Petitioner:

Adolph Quinten Sherrod,

v.

Respondent:



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MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2009----------------------------------------------------------------

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No. 09SC718


Petitioner:

Rita Torres, a/k/a/ Rita DeHerrera, a/k/a Rita Avalos, a/k/a/ Rita

DeHerrera-Torres, a/k/a Rita DeHerrera-Avalos,

v.

Respondent:

Albert Gurule.


JUSTICE MARTINEZ does not participate.

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Petitioner:

St. Vrain School District,

v.

Respondent:

Devin Kansgen, a disabled minor by his mother and legal guardian,

Debra Kansgen.


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Petitioner:

Country Mutual Insurance Company,

v.

Respondents:

Renee Lally and Sean Lally.


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No. 09SC768


Petitioner:

Mark Sandoval,

v.

Respondent:



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No. 09SC774


Petitioner:

Lawrence Littlethunder,

v.

Respondent:



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No. 09SC778


Petitioner:Jose Eloy Gonzales,

v.

Respondent:



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No. 09SC799

El Paso County District Court Case No. 09CV2599

Petitioner:

Ronald Warren,v.

Respondent:

People of the State of Colorado.


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No. 09SC804


Petitioner:

Allen Oil & Gas, L.L.C., a Texas limited liability company,

v.

Respondents:

Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission, an agency of the State of

Colorado; and Steven Sonneberg, Michael Klish, Daniel Skrabacz,

Claudia Rebne, Bruce Johnson, and Adrean Phillips, Commissioners of

the Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission.


----------------------------------------------------------------------No. 09SC805


Petitioner:

James B. Turner,

v.

Respondent:

Norton Frickey, P.C.


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Petitioners:

Mark Hamilton and Melvin Hamilton,

v.

Respondent:

Noble Energy, Inc.


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No. 09SC822


Petitioner:

Richard Martinez,

v.

Respondent:

Kevin Milyard, in his official capacity as Warden of the Sterling

Correctional Facility.


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No. 09SC823


In re the Marriage of

Petitioner:

Marvin Dale Bredemeier,

and

Respondent:

Elena Chemanaeva.


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No. 09SC826


Petitioner:

Salah Abdi,

v.

Respondent:

Ricardo Alvarez.


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No. 09SC827


Petitioner:

Hasan Muric,

v.

Respondent:



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No. 09SC830


Petitioner:

Lonnell Dewane Durst,

v.

Respondent:



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No. 09SC832


Petitioner:Paul Tinsley,

v.

Respondent:



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No. 09SC835


Petitioner:

Daniel James Vigil,v.

Respondent:



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No. 09SC838


Petitioner:

Juan Naranjo,

v.

Respondent:



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No. 09SC841


Petitioner:

Josue Delgado,

v.

Respondent:



----------------------------------------------------------------------

No. 09SC844


Petitioner:Ernest Maxwell,

v.

Respondent:



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No. 09SC845


In re the m

Petitioner:

arriage of:

Jenny Adams-Gramm,

and

Respondent:

W. Patrick Gramm.


JUSTICE EID does not participate.


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No. 09SC849


Petitioner:

Roger Lee Jacobs,

v.

Respondent:



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No. 09SC850


Petitioner:

Vito Kershaw,

v.

Respondent:



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No. 09SC858


Petitioner:

Lee N. Sternal, P.C.,

v.

Respondents:

Ellen K. Champion and Industrial Claim Appeals Office of the State of

Colorado.


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No. 09SC859


Petitioner:

Murphy H. Miles, Jr.,

v.

Respondent:



JUSTICE COATS does not participate.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

No. 09SC861


Petitioner:

Cosme Junior Garcia,

v.

Respondent:



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No. 09SC862


Petitioner:

Demarco Jamaal White,

v.

Respondent:



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No. 09SC863


Petitioner:Efrin Hernandez, a/k/a Efrin Lira,v.

Respondent:



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MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2009----------------------------------------------------------------

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No. 09SC864


Petitioner:

Harry R. Krausman,

v.

Respondent:



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No. 09SC873


Petitioner:

Jorge Mauricio Zamora,

v.

Respondent:



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No. 09SC924


Petitioner:A.B.,

v.

Respondent:


In the Interest of Minor Children:

A.M. and T.M.


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No. 09SC941


Petitioner:

W.K.T.,

v.

Respondent:


In the Interest of Minor Child:

E.R.B.


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Case Announcements, 12-14-09