USA TODAY has filed a motion to intervene in the bankruptcy case involving former Colorado and Buccs safety Shilo Sanders, seeking greater public access to court proceedings and records. The filing comes after several recent developments, including a July 14 pretrial hearing, were conducted under seal.
The newspaper is asking the court to release certain records and keep the upcoming bankruptcy trial open to the public.
Shilo Sanders Bankruptcy Case Draws New Legal Challenge
USA TODAY filed its motion in Colorado bankruptcy court on July 22. The request asks the court to unseal several records related to the case, including a redacted transcript from the July 14 hearing. It also objects to any effort to close portions of the bankruptcy trial scheduled for Aug. 31.
Shilo Sanders filed for bankruptcy in 2023 while attempting to discharge an $11.89 million debt. Nearly all of that amount is owed to former school security guard John Darjean, who won a default judgment against Sanders in Texas.
The debt stems from a 2015 incident at Sanders’ school in Dallas, when he was 15 years old. According to court filings, Sanders’ attorneys have submitted several documents under seal, arguing they are protected by court orders because he was a minor at the time.
USA TODAY argues that those records should be available to the public, with appropriate redactions where necessary.
In its filing, the newspaper also challenged the possibility of closing any part of the upcoming trial.
“Furthermore, the Court should not exclude the public from any portion of the trial herein unless and until the requisite findings have been made warranting the denial of the public’s presumptive right of attendance under the First Amendment.”
The motion was filed by Denver law firm Zansberg Beylkin LLC on behalf of USA TODAY.
The filing also argues that public access to court proceedings is an important part of the judicial process. It states that press coverage is “vital” because journalists serve as “surrogates for the public,” helping people understand how the courts operate.
USA TODAY also noted that many details about the case have already been publicly reported over the years. It added that several filings currently sealed in Texas court had previously been available to the public before later being restricted.
The bankruptcy trial will determine whether Sanders can legally discharge the $11.89 million judgment through bankruptcy.
Darjean continues to oppose that effort. His attorneys argue the debt should remain because it resulted from what they describe as a “willful and malicious injury.”
Shilo Sanders maintains that his actions were self-defense and is seeking to have the debt discharged through the bankruptcy process.
The underlying lawsuit began in 2016, when Darjean sued Shilo Sanders and his parents, claiming Sanders assaulted him while Darjean attempted to confiscate his cellphone at school in 2015. Sanders’ parents were dismissed from the lawsuit by early 2019.
When the case went to trial in Texas in 2022, Shilo Sanders did not appear. After hearing Darjean’s evidence, the judge entered an $11.89 million default judgment against him.
USA TODAY’s motion also highlights several reasons it believes the case carries significant public interest. The filing points to comments made by Deion Sanders, who has publicly described Darjean as a “grifter” and disputed the claims against his son.
The newspaper also argues that transparency helps ensure public confidence in taxpayer-funded courts and reduces concerns that wealth or public status could influence legal proceedings.
The filing further notes that bankruptcy cases are generally public because debtors seeking to erase financial obligations are expected to do so through an open judicial process, subject to limited exceptions.
Court records also show that Shilo Sanders’ attorneys withdrew from the Texas lawsuit in 2020 after stating he was “unwilling or unable to continue funding the defense of this case.”
Shilo Sanders did not retain new attorneys until 2023, after Darjean began efforts to collect the judgment. The bankruptcy trial is now set to decide whether that judgment can ultimately be discharged.
Also Read: Shilo Sanders Bankruptcy Update: Judge Makes Major Pretrial Decision