Cases — January 1st through 7th, 2017

Contract/Noncompete/Trade Secret/Wrongful Termination  

*Armstrong v. Wyoming Dept of Environmental Quality (10th Cir., January 5, 2017) (affirming dismissal of Armstrong’s numerous claims—including defamation based on wrongful termination, among other things—because Armstrong failed to identify any basis for reversal)

Vogt v. City of Hays (10th Cir., January 4, 2017) (reversing dismissal of Vogt’s 5th-Amendment compelled self-incrimination claim against Hays)

Helget v. City of Hays (10th Cir., January 4, 2017) (affirming summary judgement in favor of Hays on Helget’s 1st-Amendment retaliation claims, because the City’s operational interests outweighed Helget’s speech interest)

Discrimination/Retaliation

*Muhammad v. Hall (10th Cir., January 4, 2017) (affirming dismissal of Muhammad’s civil rights lawsuit concerning her non-selection for a teaching position)

*Poulsen v. Humana Insurance Company (10th Cir., January 5, 2017) (affirming summary judgment in favor of Humana on Poulsen’s ADA retaliation claim, because there was no genuine issue of material fact)

Workers Compensation/Occupational Safety and Disease

*Winick v. Colvin (10th Cir., January 4, 2017) (reversing district court’s upholding commissioner denial of disability benefits, because the ALJ’s analysis failed in several particulars)

*Cases marked with an asterisk are cases the 10th Circuit does not consider binding precedent except under the doctrines of law of the case, res judicata, or collateral estoppel. They may be cited, however, for persuasive value under Fed.R.App.P. 32.1 and 10th Cir.R. 32.1.