A federal judge tentatively green-lit a former Denver Sheriff Department sergeant’s sex discrimination lawsuit for trial last month, based upon allegations that three female employees were promoted ahead of him despite his qualifications. U.S. District Court Judge Nina Y. Wang described the evidence of discrimination as “not robust,” but she determined plaintiff Joseph Bowen had sufficiently called into question the sheriff’s reasons for passing over Bowen for promotion to captain. At the same time, she held off on setting a jury trial until Bowen and the city’s lawyers could meet with U.S. Magistrate Judge N. Reid Neureiter to explore alternative dispute resolution. Bowen began as a sheriff’s deputy in 2005 and received a promotion to sergeant in 2015. Historically, during a multi-year window, the department would promote employees based on their assessment scores. The highest-scoring candidate would be first in line, and the department would promote people in that order.…