Yes. Jail or prison time is on the table for a first felony charge in Colorado. It doesn't happen in every case, but anyone facing a felony for the first time needs to understand the risk before deciding how to handle it. Any felony charge carries the possibility of...
Domestic Violence Defense
What Is a Motion to Suppress?
A motion to suppress is the formal request your attorney files asking the court to keep certain evidence out of your case. The most common basis is a rights violation. Maybe the police searched your car without a warrant or reasonable suspicion. Maybe they questioned...
Can a Felony Be Reduced to a Misdemeanor in Colorado?
It depends on where your case stands: already convicted, or still charged. After a Felony Conviction There's only one path down: a wobbler-eligible drug felony 4. Complete probation, and the conviction becomes a misdemeanor automatically. Outside that scenario, a...
What Happens at an Arraignment in Colorado?
If you've been charged with a crime in Colorado, you've probably heard the word "arraignment" and wondered what it means for your case. The answer depends on where you are. "Arraignment" isn't one fixed event. Colorado courts use the term for several different...
How Long Does a Felony Stay on Your Record in Colorado?
A felony conviction doesn't fall off your record on its own. But depending on what class of felony you were convicted of, you may be able to petition a court to seal it, and the wait is shorter than most people expect. Colorado ranks felonies from Class 1, the most...
What Does the DA Have to Prove to Get a Domestic Violence Conviction in Colorado?
In Colorado, domestic violence isn't a standalone crime. It's a sentence enhancer attached to another charge, like assault, harassment, or criminal mischief. Prove it, and a conviction comes with mandatory treatment classes on top of the underlying penalty. First, the...
What Is a Preliminary Hearing in Colorado?
A preliminary hearing is one of the most misunderstood stages of a felony case. It is also one of the most important. The Prosecution Does Not Have an Unlimited Right to Charge Prosecutors have broad discretion to bring charges as long as some evidence exists and...
Can a Domestic Violence Charge Be Dropped in Colorado
A domestic violence charge can be dropped in Colorado. But the process doesn't work the way most people expect. The Alleged Victim Doesn't Control the Case Once police are called and charges are filed, the decision to proceed belongs to the prosecution. The victim's...
Do I Have to Take a Plea Deal?
Nobody can make you plead guilty. Full stop. Every person charged with a crime has the right to a trial. The burden of proof falls entirely on the government. Prosecutors must prove every element of every charge beyond a reasonable doubt — the highest legal standard...
What Happens If You Violate a No Contact Order in Colorado?
If you've been arrested on a domestic violence charge in Colorado, a no contact order is almost certainly part of your bond conditions. Violating it makes everything worse. The Legal Consequences Are Serious Violating a criminal protection order is a Class 1...
Domestic Violence — Deferred Judgment with Early Termination Path
Our client had a real chance of beating a misdemeanor domestic violence charge. The alleged victim was willing to testify on his behalf at trial. But our client was a young professional and entrepreneur in Larimer County with no prior record, and he did not want to...
Repeat Domestic Violence — Probation Only
When you get a deferred judgment, the second worst thing that can happen is to get charged with the same crime again. And the ultimate worst thing is to be charged only two weeks after the first case. Our client faced a domestic violence charge after having been given...
Domestic Violence – Deferred Judgment
Our client faced the holidays separated from her newborn because of a domestic violence charge in Jefferson County. Krizman Law got the temporary protection orders modified to allow the family to spend the holidays together. Then we worked to achieve an outcome that...
You Need An Edge To Defend Domestic Violence
Most people think criminal defense happens primarily in the courtroom. The reality is different, especially in domestic violence cases. Domestic violence charges are among the few crimes where someone can face incarceration based solely on another person's word. No...
Felony Child Abuse – Reduced to Misdemeanor with Probation
Our client was charged in Adams County Court with Felony Child Abuse and Harassment after a family dispute stemming from a misinterpreted group message. After presenting evidence and context, Krizman Law negotiated a plea to a misdemeanor harassment charge with six...