A federal judge has issued pretrial rulings in Shilo Sanders' bankruptcy case, setting the evidence framework for an Aug. 31 bankruptcy trial that will help determine whether a debt of $11.89 million can be wiped out.
The rulings were filed by the bankruptcy court on July 15 after Judge Michael Romero held a private hearing in Denver on July 14. The judge did not decide the underlying discharge question at that hearing. Instead, he addressed what evidence can be used when the case goes to trial.
What the case is about
The dispute stems from a 2015 school incident involving Sanders, who was 15 at the time. The next day, Sanders was taken to the Letot juvenile detention facility in Texas, and John Darjean was taken to the hospital. Darjean later sued Sanders in 2016.
In 2022, Sanders did not show up for trial and an $11.89 million default judgment was entered against him. Two years later, in October 2023, he filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy with more than $11 million in debt.
What the judge decided
Romero's rulings focus on evidence tied to the question of whether the debt should be treated as something other than a willful and malicious injury. That matters because Sanders is trying to discharge the debt through bankruptcy.
According to the court's summary, the judge ruled on evidence issues related to the question of whether reasonable force was used in rebuttal to Sanders' self-defense arguments. Romero also said the court would address specific objections to the evidence after the parties have completed designations of deposition testimony or at trial.
In practical terms, the rulings do not settle the case. They narrow the scope of what the court will consider when the bankruptcy trial begins on Aug. 31. The discharge issue itself will still be decided at trial.
For Sanders, that means the next phase is not about another filing or a procedural delay. It is about the evidence that will be allowed to help decide whether the debt can be erased at all.
