Daniel Desmond Domenico

United States District Court for the District of Colorado district Appointed by Donald Trump (Republican) 11 signed orders read

How Judge Domenico decides

Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

What persuades

In Section 1983 deadly-force cases he grants qualified immunity and summary judgment to the officer where the law did not clearly establish the conduct as unconstitutional.

“the Court determines that Officer Traudt is entitled to qualified immunity and GRANTS his motion for summary judgment (Doc. 83).”

In franchise and non-compete disputes he will grant preliminary injunctive relief enforcing a restrictive covenant against departing franchisees who open a competing business.

“Enjoined Parties are hereby ENJOINED from having any direct or indirect interest ... in any 'Competitive Business' ... located or operating within a three-mile radius ... [and] from copying, disclosing, or using 'Proprietary Assets' ... and from displaying, infringing upon, or using ... Fitness Together's ... trademarks ... It is FURTHER ORDERED that Fitness Together shall provide security pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 65(c) in the amount of $50,000”

Procedural preferences

He writes his own summary-judgment opinions in employment cases and grants a defendant's motion where the plaintiff cannot establish the elements of the claim.

“Defendants' motion for summary judgment (Doc. 67) is GRANTED. The Clerk shall enter judgment as set forth herein in favor of Defendants and close this case.”

Cautions

He grants a motion to dismiss ADA claims arising from a COVID-19 vaccine-mandate termination where the complaint fails to state a plausible claim, adopting the magistrate's recommendation.

“The MOTION TO DISMISS, Doc. 13, is GRANTED; the RECOMMENDATION of Judge O'Hara, Doc. 29, is ACCEPTED and ADOPTED; and Plaintiff's claims are DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.”

Signed rulings

A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.

Melville v. Third Way Center, Inc.
1:18-cv-01230-DDD-SKC · 2019-07-25
Summary judgment (defendant) Granted

“Defendants' motion for summary judgment (Doc. 67) is GRANTED. The Clerk shall enter judgment as set forth herein in favor of Defendants and close this case.”

Board of County Commissioners for Douglas County v. Crown Castle USA, Inc.
1:17-cv-03171-DDD-NRN · 2019-09-09
Summary judgment (plaintiff) Granted in part

“The Court GRANTS Plaintiff's Summary Judgment Motion (Doc. 62) in part. The Court DECLARES that Defendants' proposal is not an eligible facilities request under 47 U.S.C. § 1455(a)(1) and 47 C.F.R. § 1.6100. The Court DENIES the remainder of Plaintiff's Summary Judgment Motion”

Summary judgment (defendant) Denied

“and DENIES Defendants' Summary Judgment Motion (Doc. 61).”

Estate of Paul Castaway v. Traudt
1:16-cv-01763-DDD-MEH · 2019-12-09
Summary judgment (defendant) Granted

“the Court determines that Officer Traudt is entitled to qualified immunity and GRANTS his motion for summary judgment (Doc. 83).”

Bereznak v. Arrow Electronics, Inc.
1:23-cv-01318-DDD-SKC · 2024-09-20
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Granted

“The MOTION TO DISMISS, Doc. 13, is GRANTED; the RECOMMENDATION of Judge O'Hara, Doc. 29, is ACCEPTED and ADOPTED; and Plaintiff's claims are DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.”

Fitness Together Franchise, L.L.C. v. EM Fitness, L.L.C. (Axio Defendants)
1:20-cv-02757-DDD-STV · 2020-10-16
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Denied

“ORDER DENYING AXIO DEFENDANTS' MOTION TO DISMISS AND GRANTING IN PART FITNESS TOGETHER FRANCHISE LLC'S MOTION FOR A PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION”

Preliminary injunction (plaintiff) Granted in part

“Enjoined Parties are hereby ENJOINED from having any direct or indirect interest ... in any 'Competitive Business' ... located or operating within a three-mile radius ... [and] from copying, disclosing, or using 'Proprietary Assets' ... and from displaying, infringing upon, or using ... Fitness Together's ... trademarks ... It is FURTHER ORDERED that Fitness Together shall provide security pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 65(c) in the amount of $50,000”

Harris v. Environmental Materials, LLC
1:19-cv-00825-DDD-MEH · 2020-01-22
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Granted

“Defendant's Fed. R. Civ. P. 12 Motion to Dismiss [Doc. 24] is GRANTED and the case is DISMISSED.”

Noe v. Matevousian
1:19-cv-02148-DDD-STV · 2021-10-07
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Granted

“Defendants' Motion to Dismiss (Doc. 162) is GRANTED, and Mr. Noe's Fourth Amended Complaint (Doc. 156) is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE; ... Mr. Noe's Motion for Permission to File an Amended Complaint (Doc. 204) is DENIED.”

Preliminary injunction (plaintiff) Moot / procedural

“Mr. Noe's Motion for Preliminary Injunction or Protective Order (Doc. 202) is DENIED AS MOOT”

Hart v. City of La Junta
1:23-cv-00134-DDD-MDB · 2025-03-19
Summary judgment (defendant) Granted

“The Motions for Summary Judgment, Dkt. 64, 65, 67, 68, are GRANTED;”

Doe v. Mesa County Valley School District 51
1:23-cv-01858-DDD-TPO · 2026-03-25
Summary judgment (defendant) Granted

“The Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment, Doc. 43, is GRANTED.”

DeHerrera v. Huerfano County
1:23-cv-01610-DDD-MDB · 2026-03-25
Summary judgment (defendant) Granted

“The Defendants' MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT (Docs. 68, 70, 74) are GRANTED;”

Summary judgment (plaintiff) Denied

“The Plaintiffs' MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT (Doc. 72) is DENIED; and”

Singh v. Baltazar
1:26-cv-01076-DDD-TPO · 2026-05-11
Habeas petition (petitioner) Denied

“the Verified Petition for Habeas Corpus, Doc. 1, is DENIED and DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE;”

Motion for temporary restraining order (petitioner) Moot / procedural

“The petitioner's Motion for Temporary Restraining Order, Doc. 2, is DENIED AS MOOT;”

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

The directly assigned 2026 cases are dominated by an alien-detainee habeas surge under 28 U.S.C. § 2241, together with a few significant civil matters, including GEO Group v. Ryan, a constitutional challenge to a Colorado statute, and a patent case. Older contested civil cases from 2019 through 2023 are not represented in this caseload snapshot. The composition is not a base rate, and no filing-to-ruling interval is available because the 2026 matters remain pending.

Put Judge Domenico's record to work

Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Domenico actually rules, not a generic AI guess.

Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Domenico's own signed orders and cites them.