USA v. Chapman

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLORADO
Judge William J. Martínez
Criminal Case No. 13-cr-224-WJM
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff,
v.
1. JAMES CHAPMAN,
Defendant.
ORDER IMPOSING FILING RESTRICTIONS ON DEFENDANT AND
MAKING ABSOLUTE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE
On February 18, 2026, the Court issued an Order Denying Various Motions Filed
by Defendant and Order to Show Cause. (ECF No. 151.) Therein, the Court made
clear that, “[d]espite the Court’s best efforts to educate Chapman about the requirement
that parties (pro se or otherwise) must avoid filing non-frivolous motions, Chapman has
continued to do just that: file frivolous motions.” (Id. at 3.) Before imposing a filing
restriction, however, the Court announced that it would “give Chapman an opportunity to
explain why he believes that” the Court should not enter a filing restriction order. (Id. at
4.)
Chapman filed a response purporting to show cause why a filing restriction order
would be inappropriate here. (ECF No. 153.) The Court has reviewed that response
and determined that nothing therein establishes why a filing restriction would not be
appropriate here under 28 U.S.C. § 1651(a) to limit Chapman’s abusive filing practices.
While the Court has an obligation to give pro se litigants wide latitude, the Court cannot
Case No. 1:13-cr-00224-WJM Document 154 filed 03/27/26 USDC Colorado pg 1
of 2

2
continue to accept repetitious, meritless, non-sensical filings. Some of those frivolous
findings can be found at ECF Nos. 137, 140, 141, 142, 148, and 150. Chapman has
been warned, through the Order to Show Cause (ECF No. 151), about future filing
restrictions and has been given an opportunity to oppose the restrictions. He has failed
to do so in any meaningful sense. The Court, therefore, will enjoin Chapman from filing
any future pro se filings in this case without first obtaining leave of Court. Any of
Chapman’s pro se filings entered on the docket by the Clerk that have not been
previously permitted by the Court will be summarily stricken.
In addition, the Court will relieve the Government from the obligation of reviewing
or responding to any future filings submitted by Chapman in this matter, unless the
Court directly states that the Government must do so.
For the reasons set forth above, the Court ORDERS as follows:
1. 	The Court’s Order to Show Cause (ECF No. 151) is MADE ABSOLUTE;
2. 	Chapman is prohibited from filing any additional pro se documents in this
matter without first obtaining leave of Court to do so; and
3. 	The Government is relieved from the obligation of reviewing or responding to any
future filings submitted by Chapman in this matter, unless and until the Court
directs it to do so.
Dated this 27 th day of March, 2026.
BY THE COURT:
______________________
William J. Martinez
United States District Judge
Case No. 1:13-cr-00224-WJM Document 154 filed 03/27/26 USDC Colorado pg 2
of 2