---
title: "Carlos F. Lucero | KnowJudges"
canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/carlos-f-lucero"
page_type: "judge_profile"
updated: "2026-10-09"
---

# Carlos F. Lucero

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit · U.S. Circuit Judge

## Profile

- Court: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- State: National federal courts
- Role: U.S. Circuit Judge
- Service status: senior
- Last verified: 2026-07-25

## Summary

Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge.

## Biography

### Professional career

- Judge, Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, 1995-present
- Adjunct professor of legal studies at Adams State College (1968–1995)
- Law clerk, Hon. William E. Doyle, U.S. District Court, District of Colorado, 1964-1965
- The first Hispanic judge to sit on the Tenth Circuit
- Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit

### Education

- George Washington University Law School — J.D. (1964)
- Adams State University — B.A. (1961)
- Adams State College — B.A. (1961)

### Additional information

- Herbert (2014), which struck down Utah’s same-sex marriage ban as unconstitutional.
- He also co-authored the 2014 ruling invalidating citizenship-document requirements for voter registration in Kansas and Arizona.
- On March 23, 1995, President Bill Clinton nominated Lucero to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, a new seat created by 104 Stat.
- Confirmed by the Senate on June 30, 1995 and began serving as an associate judge.
- Private practice, Alamosa, CO, 1966-1995
- Private practice, Alamosa, Colorado, 1966-1995
- Date of birth: 1940-01-01
- Current role: Senior Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit Notable case: Kitchen v.
- First Hispanic president of the Colorado Bar Association
- He maintained chambers in Denver and authored notable opinions, including the majority decision in Kitchen v.
- Birth place: Antonito, CO

## Before you appear

- Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed.
- Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance.
- Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding.

## Courtroom Rules

### appellate oral argument

Scope: courtwide

In federal courts of appeals, oral argument is allowed unless a three-judge panel unanimously finds one of Rule 34's specified grounds for dispensing with it; the clerk provides the date, time, place, and time allocation.

Evidence excerpt: Oral argument must be allowed in every case unless a panel of three judges who have examined the briefs and record unanimously agrees that oral argument is unnecessary

[Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 34, Oral Argument](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-appellate-procedure)
Source checked: 2026-07-26


## Sources

- [Official profile](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1384091)
- [Official roster](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1384091)
- [Federal Judicial Center biography](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1384091)
- [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1982/carlos-f-lucero/)
- [Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 34, Oral Argument](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-appellate-procedure)
- [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1982/carlos-f-lucero/)
- [Judge Carlos F. Lucero](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1384091)
- [Wikidata: Carlos F. Lucero](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5042058)

## JSON-LD

```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@graph": [
    {
      "@type": "WebPage",
      "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/carlos-f-lucero",
      "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/carlos-f-lucero",
      "name": "Carlos F. Lucero | KnowJudges",
      "description": "Carlos F. Lucero, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.",
      "dateModified": "2026-10-09",
      "isPartOf": {
        "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website"
      },
      "mainEntity": {
        "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/carlos-f-lucero#judge"
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Person",
      "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/carlos-f-lucero#judge",
      "name": "Carlos F. Lucero",
      "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/carlos-f-lucero",
      "jobTitle": "U.S. Circuit Judge",
      "worksFor": {
        "@type": "GovernmentOrganization",
        "name": "U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit"
      },
      "sameAs": [
        "https://www.fjc.gov/node/1384091",
        "https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1982/carlos-f-lucero/"
      ],
      "birthDate": "1940",
      "birthPlace": "Antonito, CO",
      "alumniOf": [
        {
          "@type": "EducationalOrganization",
          "name": "Adams State University"
        },
        {
          "@type": "EducationalOrganization",
          "name": "Adams State College"
        },
        {
          "@type": "EducationalOrganization",
          "name": "George Washington University Law School"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
      "itemListElement": [
        {
          "@type": "ListItem",
          "position": 1,
          "name": "KnowJudges",
          "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj"
        },
        {
          "@type": "ListItem",
          "position": 2,
          "name": "National federal courts",
          "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/state/national-federal-courts"
        },
        {
          "@type": "ListItem",
          "position": 3,
          "name": "Carlos F. Lucero",
          "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/carlos-f-lucero"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}
```