Understanding Colorado’s Stand Your Ground Laws in Self-Defense Claims
August 26, 2025
A good witness can make or break a criminal case. Witnesses can bring charges against someone, and can even be the key to a conviction. Death sentences have been overturned because a witness recanted their testimony.
Therein lies the problem. A fair criminal justice system is not just the responsibility of prosecutors, lawyers, and judges. All citizens have to contribute to ensure fair trials and a fair system. – including witnesses.
That’s why the Colorado Springs Police Department has issued [...]
Navigating the Colorado court system is not an easy task. Forget figuring out your defense strategy. Just finding which court you will have to report to can be confusing. Denver specifically has multiple court systems that handle legal matters, including municipal courts, district courts, and more.
For this blog post, we will focus on municipal and district courts. Both of these courts deal with legal matters that take place within Colorado borders, and generally follow the same procedure, but there [...]
It’s stressful enough to be charged with a crime. The last thing you may want to do is shop around for a criminal defense attorney and talk legal fees. Choosing the right attorney, however, may mean the difference between years in jail and dropped charges.
Keep the following questions in mind while searching for and consulting with different criminal defense attorneys about your situation.
How Long Have You Been Practicing Law?
An attorney’s years of experience and the number of [...]
Being charged with a crime can be incredibly stressful. You don’t want to plead guilty, but how can you prove your innocence or lessen your sentence?
Luckily, there are many ways to defend against criminal charges. Some are well known, like self-defense, but did you know that hypoglycemia can be used as a defense in some cases? Do you know about the “make my day” law, and how can it help you in court?
Below we have a few examples [...]
Recently, Johnny Manziel, the former Cleveland Browns quarterback and 2012 Heisman Trophy winner, was indicted on domestic violence charges. Colleen Crowley, one of Manziel’s ex-girlfriends, is accusing him of hitting and threatening her in an assault that took place in February.
This case is getting a lot of coverage in the media due to Manziel’s celebrity and notoriety, but it does bring up a common question concerning domestic violence charges. Although Manziel was formerly indicted by a grand jury for [...]
Self-defense is one of the most frequently raised arguments in Colorado criminal cases involving assault, homicide, or weapons charges. When a person believes their safety is threatened, the law allows them to use reasonable force to protect themselves. However, the scope of that right depends on the circumstances. While some states have explicit “stand your ground” statutes, Colorado takes a different approach, blending principles of the Castle Doctrine, the state’s “Make My Day” law, and court rulings that have shaped [...]
If a prosecutor has surveillance footage, you might feel your case is hopeless. The reality is, this powerful evidence is not foolproof. The Law Office of Jacob Martinez, a Denver, CO criminal defense attorney, focuses on challenging the reliability of surveillance footage. We investigate technical flaws like poor image quality and legal issues such as a compromised chain of custody or constitutional violations. By exposing these vulnerabilities, we can work to have the footage excluded or cast significant doubt on [...]
The legal process can be confusing and intimidating, with serious consequences for your future, your freedom, and your reputation. Knowing you have a lawyer who understands the local legal system, knows the judges and prosecutors, and is ready to act on your behalf can make a significant difference. If you are in Denver, having a Denver, CO criminal defense lawyer with this local insight is particularly important.
At the Law Office of Jacob Martinez, we are deeply familiar with Denver’s [...]