Happy New Year! We hope you had a wonderful holiday season and are ready for 2020. Get caught up on the news with these public-law highlights:

• Three new appellate judges. Governor Jared Polis appointed three new judges to the Colorado Court of Appeals: David Yun (partner at Jaudon & Avery LLP), Sueanna Johnson (senior assistant attorney general at the Department of Law), and Christina Gomez (partner at Holland & Hart LLP). The three will take office in February 2020.

• Judge says Denver’s camping ban is unconstitutional. A Denver county judge ruled that Denver’s camping ban violates the Eighth Amendment. The city is appealing the ruling, but the Denver Police Department says it won’t enforce the ban while that appeal is pending.

• Supreme Court hears argument in gun rights case. The Colorado Supreme Court held oral arguments in RMGO v. Polis, a challenge to the state’s large-capacity magazine ban. The lawsuit was brought under the state, rather than the federal, constitution, meaning the state supreme court will be the last word on the issue.

• Colorado will get a new congressional seat (probably). Newly released data indicates that Colorado will pick up a new congressional seat in the 2020 census. A new seat would provide the perfect opportunity to test out the state’s newly created independent redistricting commission.

• New member of the Colorado House. A vacancy committee appointed Richard Holtorf as the representative for House District 64, which covers southeastern Colorado. Holtorf replaces Representative Kimmi Lewis, who recently passed away.