<p>The Denver District Court Judge that heard the Ward Churchill case has determined that the University of Colorado Regents were immune from the lawsuit because they were acting in a quasi-judicial role and reversed the jury’s determination that Churchill’s First Amendment rights were violated by the Regents as a “matter of law”. He also determined that Churchill was not entitled to any money judgment pointing to the jury’s determination that his damages were $1 and that he had made to attempt to find a job since he was fired. Lastly, he said that reinstatement was not appropriate because of the hostility that Ward Churchill had expressed against the college such as calling CU “a glorified vo-tech” (among other reasons). The judge has given multiple reasons for the result and it will be a difficult appeal for Churchill.</p>
<p>I have to admit that I did not expect this result and expected that CU would have to appeal in order to be vindicated. David Lane, Churchill’s attorney, has vowed to appeal. Big surprise there inasmuch as he is claiming that he is owed $1.2 million in legal fees and will only get them if Churchill is successful.</p>