Key Takeaways
- Shilo Sanders is seeking to erase an $11.89 million judgment through Chapter 7 bankruptcy, arguing that he acted in self-defense during a 2015 confrontation with former school security guard John Darjean.
- Darjean’s attorneys contend that Sanders caused a “willful and malicious injury,” which would make the debt ineligible for discharge under federal bankruptcy law.
- Judge Michael E. Romero moved the deadline for closing arguments to Dec. 21 because trial transcripts remain delayed, likely pushing a verdict to January 2027 or later.
Shilo Sanders won't get an answer on his nearly $12 million bankruptcy fight anytime soon. A federal judge has pushed back the deadline for final arguments, leaving the former Colorado football player facing more time with an $11.89 million judgment hanging over him.
According to USA Today, Judge Michael E. Romero extended the deadline for written closing arguments from Nov. 16 to Dec. 21 after attorneys for John Darjean, the former Dallas school security guard who won the judgment against Sanders, requested more time.
The problem? The transcripts from Sanders' five-day bankruptcy trial in Denver still aren't ready.
"The transcripts are delayed," Darjean's attorney, Ori Raphael, stated in a court filing, explaining that the original schedule anticipated the records would be available approximately three weeks after the trial ended Sept. 4.
Instead, the delay has pushed the proceedings into the holiday season, making a ruling unlikely until January 2027 or later.
Romero previously explained why he wants both sides to submit detailed written arguments before deciding.
"The reason we do that is because if there are written exhibits that have been admitted, I want you to tell me exactly what's important about those written exhibits," the judge said in August.
For Sanders, 26, the stakes haven't changed. He either convinces the court to discharge his debt through Chapter 7 bankruptcy or remains responsible for a judgment approaching $12 million.
The case stems from a 2015 confrontation between Sanders and Darjean at a Dallas school. Darjean alleged that Sanders, then 15, attacked him after he attempted to confiscate the teenager's cellphone, leaving him with permanent injuries.
Sanders has maintained that he acted in self-defense. During his bankruptcy trial, he testified that Darjean "choke-slammed" him and caused him to black out. Darjean, however, was transported to the hospital by ambulance after the incident.
Darjean sued Sanders in 2016 and secured an $11.89 million default judgment in 2022 after Sanders failed to appear for the civil trial. Sanders filed for bankruptcy in October 2023, hoping to eliminate the debt.
But Darjean isn't letting the judgment go without a fight.
His attorneys argue the injuries resulted from a "willful and malicious injury," which would prevent Sanders from discharging the debt under federal bankruptcy law. Sanders disputes that characterization, insisting he was defending himself.
Sanders did recently get some relief elsewhere. Earlier this month, Barnes & Thornburg permanently dropped its lawsuit seeking approximately $170,000 in unpaid legal fees. The dismissal was filed with prejudice, meaning the firm cannot bring those same claims against him again.
