A federal judge issued a warrant Thursday for the arrest of a woman who has refused to stop filing self-authored lawsuits.
Kay Sieverding, who now lives in Wisconsin, had previously been jailed for four months for refusing to obey the judge’s order to stop litigating. U.S. District Judge Edward Nottingham let her out of jail last month when she promised to drop several pending lawsuits.
During a hearing Thursday in federal court in Denver, the judge determined that she broke that promise, continued to file legal actions after getting out of jail and ignored his order to appear in court Thursday.
Her husband, who flew in from Wisconsin for the hearing without her, said outside the courtroom that he doesn’t know how to handle her stubbornness.
“She didn’t come with an owner’s manual,” said David Sieverding.
Kay Sieverding had filed numerous court actions – all stemming from a dispute she had with neighbors and city officials in Steamboat Springs more than a decade ago – and didn’t give up even after repeated losses and a judge’s order for her to stop filing the pro se, or self-authored, lawsuits.
The legal actions have their roots in a dispute she had with neighbors who she contends blocked a public road, put up buildings including a garage not allowed by zoning and harassed her when she complained.
Those who have been most recently sued by Kay Sieverding have rung up large legal bills – more than $100,000 – in defending themselves. The defendants asked for the hearing.
Those she has recently sued include the Colorado Bar Association, Steamboat Springs officials and the newspaper in Steamboat Springs.
Kay Sieverding could not be reached for comment.
Staff writer Alicia Caldwell can be reached at 303-820-1930 or at acaldwell@denverpost.com.
