When Denver Police Use Confidential Informants: How the Defense Challenges Reliability
September 12, 2026
It’s unfortunate that accusations of crimes involving domestic violence are common in the state of Colorado. Even when these accusations get made in the heat of the moment, they can still result in legal proceedings that can put the accused in legal jeopardy.
In Colorado, the situation is entirely in the hands of the police and, eventually, the prosecutor once domestic violence gets reported. That’s why, if you get accused of domestic violence, it’s vital to understand what you should [...]
The issue of domestic violence is complex, not only in Colorado but across the entire United States. Still, Colorado has created its own laws to help deal with this issue, as a way to make the state a safer place for everyone to live.
Still, domestic violence laws in and of themselves can’t fix everything. Part of the work is for people in the community to understand what is and isn’t true about domestic violence, because there are a lot [...]
Domestic violence is a serious problem, no one disputes that. However, situations arise when people are wrongly accused of domestic violence or even have allegations used against them for someone else to gain an advantage over them.
False allegations of domestic violence are terrible, but they do happen. That’s why it’s vital to understand the domestic violence laws in Colorado and what you can do to avoid being falsely accused of domestic violence in the state.
Here’s what you need [...]
Domestic violence is an issue in Colorado, as it is in many other places. However, Colorado treats domestic violence crimes differently than you may find in other places. Since the state considers it not an independent crime, it is considered an aggravator of another crime.
It’s unfortunate that you cannot discuss domestic violence in the state without discussing child abuse. The two are linked since domestic violence is an issue that impacts the whole family unit. If there is violence [...]
The laws in the state of Colorado regarding domestic violence only deal with the perpetrator of the violence, but what about the others involved?
Domestic violence is literally a family affair – and its impact, no matter the final outcome of a criminal offense, will continue to change the lives of everyone involved, including children. That’s why it’s vital to do what you can to help children through the tough and confusing times in the aftermath of a domestic violence [...]
A confidential informant almost never speaks to the judge who signs the warrant. Instead, the judge reads a detective’s sworn summary of what an unnamed person allegedly said. That gap can become one of the most important issues in a Denver drug, weapons, theft, or other criminal case.
The defense does not cross-examine the informant when the warrant is issued. At that stage, the focus is on the affidavit itself: what the informant allegedly knew, how police verified the information, [...]
Colorado fentanyl possession charges can become serious felonies at relatively low weight thresholds. The law focuses on the weight of the material, compound, mixture, or preparation containing fentanyl rather than only the amount of pure fentanyl inside it. That means a small-looking quantity of powder or counterfeit pills can result in a much more serious charge once the substance is tested and weighed.
Weight is only part of the case. What the accused person knew, whether the state can prove [...]
Colorado COCCA charges are racketeering charges used when prosecutors claim a person participated in an enterprise through a pattern of criminal activity. These cases often grow out of drug, theft, burglary, fraud, identity theft, or financial investigations that are later reframed as organized conduct.
A COCCA count is not automatic just because several people were charged together or because prosecutors believe more than one crime occurred. The state must prove specific structural elements, including an enterprise and a pattern of [...]