No. 19-6723

T. B. v. Colorado

Lower Court: Colorado
Docketed: 2019-11-22
Status: Denied
Type: IFP
Response WaivedIFP
Tags: child-pornography due-process first-amendment free-speech sexting sexual-exploitation teen-sexting teenager-rights
Latest Conference: 2020-01-10
Question Presented (from Petition)

This case involves teen "sexting" or, more specifically, the exchange of nude and partially nude "selfies" between consenting teenagers. Petitioner T.B. was 15 or 16 years old when he asked for and received partially nude selfies from two girls he was dating, one girl was nearly two years older than T.B., and the other was a few months younger. For merely possessing these images, T.B. was found guilty of sexual exploitation of a child (possession of child pornography), was sentenced to two years of sex offender probation, and is required to register as a sex offender. Colorado has broadly construed section 18-6-403, its sexual exploitation of a child statute, to cover a teenager's possession of partially nude "selfies" texted to him or her by other teenagers. This raises two related federal questions.

I. Does Colorado's interpretation of what constitutes child pornography violate a teenager's First Amendment right to protected speech and conflict with this Court's First Amendment jurisprudence?

II. Does petitioner's adjudication for possession of sexually exploitative material violate the Due Process Clause as no rational trier of fact could view the charged images and conclude these images are child pornography?

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Does Colorado's interpretation of what constitutes child pornography violate a teenager's First Amendment right to protected speech and conflict with this Court's First Amendment jurisprudence?

Docket Entries

2020-01-13
Petition DENIED.
2019-12-12
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/10/2020.
2019-12-04
Waiver of right of respondent State of Colorado to respond filed.
2019-11-18
Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due December 23, 2019)

Attorneys

State of Colorado
L. Andrew CooperOffice of the Colorado Attorney General, Respondent
T B
Kathleen A. LordLord Law Firm, LLC, Petitioner