It’s easy to feel anxious and overwhelmed when you’re caught up in the process of an arrest in Colorado and the possibility of prosecution. Fortunately, our nation has robust protections for those accused of crimes, including the right to a strong legal defense. Understanding Colorado’s criminal justice process and the timeline of what you can
It’s beyond unsettling to discover that your family is under investigation by Child Protective Services (CPS). Like other states, CPS in Colorado is an agency tasked with investigating suspicions or allegations of child abuse or neglect. Learning that you are the focus of this type of investigation is frightening, but it’s helpful to know your
Colorado protects motorists from careless and reckless drivers through robust traffic enforcement methods and significant criminal penalties. While these laws are beneficial to public safety, law enforcement’s efforts to prevent these dangerous driving behaviors sometimes result in unfair convictions. If you’ve been charged with careless or reckless driving in Colorado, it’s more than just a
Colorado’s criminal justice system takes theft very seriously. Under Colorado Revised Statutes § 18-4-401, the law states: “A person commits theft when he or she knowingly obtains, retains, or exercises control over anything of value of another without authorization or by threat or deception; receives, loans money by pawn or pledge on, or disposes of
Colorado courts uphold every individual’s right to feel safe inside their own home. The “Make My Day” law protects those who defend their life, family, or property with force or deadly force. Colorado’s “Make My Day” law is a form of “castle doctrine” defining an individual’s right to self-defense against an intruder when they reasonably
Some forms of gambling have been legal in Colorado since 1990 with the passing of the Colorado Limited Gaming Initiative, the most important gambling bill passed into law in Colorado since the 1948 amendment legalizing horse and animal race betting. Under the current laws, some forms of gambling are legal in Colorado; however, there are
Colorado takes child pornography very seriously, with harsh penalties for convictions. Under Colorado §18-6-403, the law states: “The sexual exploitation of children constitutes a wrongful invasion of the child’s right of privacy and results in social, developmental, and emotional injury to the child; that a child below the age of eighteen years is incapable of
Like other states, Colorado classifies crimes and offenses into categories based on the seriousness of the offense. Infractions are the least serious offenses, commonly assigned for traffic violations and other petty offenses. Misdemeanor crimes are those crimes punishable by a maximum of 12 months in a Colorado county jail within the jurisdiction of the crime
Colorado takes fireworks seriously as a part of the state’s efforts to prevent destructive grass fires, forest fires, and structure fires. Some Colorado cities have a complete ban on all fireworks for private usage while others allow some types of fireworks as long as they do not explode or launch off the ground. The state
In Colorado, domestic violence (DV) is not categorized as a standalone criminal offense. Instead, it functions as a sentencing enhancement or aggravator, which means that if you’re found to have committed this type of crime, the penalties for the underlying offense can be increased due to the domestic violence aspect of the case. The definition