How Plea Bargaining Works in Denver Criminal Court Cases
July 29, 2026
These days, when you read about drug crimes in Colorado, you’ve probably come to expect that they are concerning one drug in particular: marijuana.
Since the legalization of marijuana, Colorado has experienced decreases in some marijuana-related crimes, but also increased domestic trafficking and conflicts with neighboring states frustrated by the law.
But by focusing on marijuana, we may be ignoring other drugs in Colorado. The ones that are still completely illegal.
And the use of these drugs is quickly increasing [...]
As one of the first states to legalize recreational marijuana, the country has been looking to Colorado to see what effect legalization would have on our crime rates, incarceration rates, and overall functioning as a state. Among the many studies and reports taken in the few short years since the legalization of marijuana, one in particular looks at the rate of violent crimes in Denver.
According to drugpolicy.org, Denver saw a 2.2% decrease in all violent crimes in the first [...]
Even though marijuana was only legalized here a few years ago, it has already had a huge impact. Lots of new businesses are setting up shop in Colorado to legally cash in. Taxes from marijuana sales have bolstered our state’s coffers. Arrests for marijuana are down significantly. Even drugged driving arrests related to marijuana have decreased slightly.
But there’s potentially an even bigger impact where drug trafficking is concerned. How so? The effect is two-fold, and whether it’s good or [...]
Opinions on criminal justice reform cannot always be properly expressed in 140 characters, but apparently someone forgot to mention that to George Brauchler. Best known as the prosecutor in the Aurora movie theater shooting trial, Mr. Brauchler recently learned this lesson the hard way.
The high-profile district attorney sent out a tweet saying, “‘Mass incarceration’ is a myth. Individuals with their own attorneys were convicted and sentenced individually.” His tweet was written as a response to an opinion piece in [...]
Drug trafficking is illegal no matter where you are. But with the legalization of marijuana in Colorado, it’s easier than ever to ship marijuana somewhere else and reap the financial benefits.
Illegal drug traffickers are using Colorado as a safe haven for growing marijuana in regulated pot farms and warehouses, then discreetly sending it to other places where traffickers can make an excellent profit.
One instance of drug trafficking had an owner of a skydiving company filling his planes with [...]
Most criminal cases in Denver do not end with a jury verdict. They end with a decision: whether to accept a plea agreement, reject the offer, keep negotiating, or prepare for trial. That decision can shape your record, your freedom, your sentence, your probation terms, and your future long after the court date.
A plea bargain is not just “taking a deal.” It is a legal agreement that may involve reduced charges, dismissed counts, sentencing limits, probation terms, restitution, treatment [...]
A police crash report can make a serious collision look settled before the defense has examined the evidence. It may assign fault, estimate speed, describe the point of impact, and frame the driver’s conduct as reckless or impaired. In a Denver vehicular assault case, those early conclusions can influence charging decisions, plea negotiations, and how prosecutors present the case.
The problem is that a police report is not proof. Officers often prepare crash reports based on witness statements, final vehicle [...]
Assault charges in Colorado can range from a misdemeanor accusation after a physical confrontation to a serious felony carrying years in prison. The difference usually depends on the alleged intent, the level of injury, whether a weapon was involved, and whether the alleged victim falls into a protected category under Colorado law.
That distinction matters immediately. A misdemeanor assault case may still carry jail time, fines, a permanent criminal record, and collateral consequences for employment, housing, licensing, and your reputation. [...]