The People of the Town of Silverthorne v. Tettamanti

The ACLU of Colorado is appealing the Silverthorne Municipal Court order that wrongfully sentenced Mr. Tettamanti to three days in jail for contempt.

In October 2025, Mr. Tettamanti went to a setting at Silverthorne Municipal Court in relation to a ticket for an unleashed dog. He had previously pled guilty and been sentenced to take a class related to the violation and pay $150 in fines and court costs. At the hearing, Mr. Tettamanti requested to change his plea, and after a short colloquy, the municipal judge held him in contempt and sentenced him to three days in jail.

The ACLU of Colorado, alongside Sidley-MacKie, LLC, appealed the contempt finding to the Summit County District Court. The appeal argues that the municipal court lacked the power to punish noncompletion of the class as contempt, as that kind of sentence is properly enforced through probation. It also argues that the municipal court strayed far beyond the contempt power’s limits. The municipal court found Mr. Tettamanti in contempt based on a statement that he intended to seek postconviction relief rather than comply with the sentence order. The statement itself could not be willful noncompliance with the order, as Mr. Tettamanti could not immediately comply with it. The municipal court also improperly punished Mr. Tettamanti summarily, although his statement was not offensive to the authority and dignity of the court. On the contrary, his statement was protected under the United States and Colorado Constitutions. Finally, even if the municipal court had evidence on which to base a contempt finding, direct or indirect, the process it afforded Mr. Tettamanti was severely insufficient.

The opening brief was filed on May 22, 2026.