--- title: "Robert E. Blackburn | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/robert-e-blackburn" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # Robert E. Blackburn U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado · Judge ## Profile - Court: U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado - State: Colorado - Role: 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, District Court, D. Colorado, 2002-present - Law clerk in private practice, Colorado, 1975-present - Judge, Colorado District Court, Sixteenth Judicial District, 1988-2002 - Judge, Kim Colorado Municipal Court, 1985-1988 - County attorney, Bent County, CO, 1980-1988 - Deputy district attorney, Sixteenth Judicial District, CO, 1980-1986 ### Education - Western Colorado University — B.A. (1972) - University of Colorado Law School ### Additional information - Assumed senior status on April 12, 2016 - Confirmed by the Senate on February 26, 2002 - Received commission on March 6, 2002 - Nominated to the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado on September 10, 2001 - Municipal Judge, Town of Kim (1985–1988) - Private practice, Las Animas, CO, 1975-1980 - Private practice in Las Animas, Colorado (1975–1980) - Date of birth: 1950-01-01 - Known for rulings involving digital privacy and compelled decryption, including United States v. - Fricosu, where he held that defendants could be compelled to decrypt encrypted data. - Birth place: Lakewood, 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 ### courtroom technology Scope: courtwide Courtwide presentation-related guidance applies to this judge. Evidence excerpt: 1 COURTROOM TECHNOLOGY MANUAL FOR ATTORNEYS BYRON G. ROGERS UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE Evidence Presentation Evidence presentation is available in all courtrooms. There are 22” high definition video monitors located at the bench, counsel tables, and witness stand. [Microsoft Word - Rogers Courtroom Technology Manual](https://www.cod.uscourts.gov/Portals/0/Documents/AttInfo/Courtroom_Technology_Manual_Rogers.pdf) Source checked: 2026-07-24 ### civil remote testimony Scope: courtwide In federal district-court civil proceedings, testimony is ordinarily taken in open court; remote contemporaneous testimony requires good cause in compelling circumstances and appropriate safeguards. Evidence excerpt: For good cause in compelling circumstances and with appropriate safeguards, the court may permit testimony in open court by contemporaneous transmission from a different location. [Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedure) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### criminal recording and broadcasting Scope: courtwide Federal district courts may not permit courtroom photography or broadcasting during criminal judicial proceedings unless a statute or another federal rule provides an exception. Evidence excerpt: Except as otherwise provided by a statute or these rules, the court must not permit the taking of photographs in the courtroom during judicial proceedings or the broadcasting of judicial proceedings from the courtroom. [Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited](https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391446) - [Official roster](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391446) - [Federal Judicial Center biography](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391446) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/294/robert-e-blackburn/) - [Microsoft Word - Rogers Courtroom Technology Manual](https://www.cod.uscourts.gov/Portals/0/Documents/AttInfo/Courtroom_Technology_Manual_Rogers.pdf) - [Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedure) - [Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited](https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts) - [Federal Judicial Center — Biographical Directory of Federal Judges](https://www.fjc.gov/sites/default/files/history/judges.csv) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/294/robert-e-blackburn/) - [Wikidata: Robert E. Blackburn](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7343737) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/robert-e-blackburn", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/robert-e-blackburn", "name": "Robert E. Blackburn | KnowJudges", "description": "Robert E. Blackburn, U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.", "dateModified": "2026-10-07", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/robert-e-blackburn#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/robert-e-blackburn#judge", "name": "Robert E. 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Blackburn", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/robert-e-blackburn" } ] } ] } ``` ## Federal civil docket activity Dataset updated through 2026-06-30. | Period | Assigned cases | Terminated cases | Median disposition (months) | Median sample | | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: | | 1y | 102 | 0 | Not available | 0 | | 2y | 329 | 92 | 3.8 | 92 | | 5y | 937 | 696 | 4.9 | 696 | | 10y | 1683 | 1442 | 5.8 | 1442 | Source: https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/ ## Published courtroom rules ### Shared court rules - [Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, December 1, 2025](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-651872d6e45e0d82319ecccc) — Civil actions in United States District Courts; Rule 81 exceptions apply. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-civil-procedure.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27. - [Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, December 1, 2025](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-8721a344fececced2257fe1d) — Criminal proceedings in United States District Courts; this conservative mapping does not distribute appellate-specific provisions to appellate judges. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-criminal-procedure.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27.