Understanding Colorado’s Deferred Judgment and Sentence Options for First Offenders
May 1, 2026
In 2017, the number of drug overdose deaths in Colorado was the highest it has ever been – 959 people lost their lives to different controlled substances. Overdoses happen for many reasons, but in order to survive almost everyone needs the same thing – serious medical attention.
Unfortunately, the laws against drug use and the heavy punishments for drug crimes prevent many people from reaching out when they notice the signs of an overdose. In many cases, they don’t want [...]
Drug-free zone laws are a longstanding sentencing policy intended to increase criminal penalties for drug crimes committed near places where children are likely to be present. For example, near schools and parks. The first drug-free zone laws took effect in the 1970s, and they were ramped up as the “War on Drugs” really took hold during the Reagan presidency.
The principle of drug-free zone laws is pretty simple and straightforward: keep dangerous drugs and violence related to drug trafficking away [...]
On May 9, several law enforcement agencies collaborated to arrest 25 individuals for drug trafficking and to issue charges to 12 others in a huge methamphetamine drug bust. The drug ring was in operation as early as July 2015. Police arrested the alleged drug dealers in Colorado, Arizona, and California.
With a big bust like this one, there are almost always an array of charges involved. Below, we’re going to detail just a little bit about what those arrested will [...]
Although Colorado has led the way in leniency towards recreational cannabis use, possession and trafficking of other controlled substances is still very much illegal. In fact, judges and prosecution often ask for the maximum possible penalty – and in some cases judges exceed what is recommended by prosecution.
That’s exactly what happened recently to a Pueblo man. Prosecution recommended that the defendant convicted of selling heroin on the streets be sentenced to 37 months in federal prison. However, Federal judge [...]
Denver has recently seen a substantial increase in both auto thefts and methamphetamine possession – a 13% increase in stolen vehicles, and a 30% increase in meth possession arrests.
Drug addicts often steal or break into vehicles in order to trade the contraband for drugs. Local law enforcement is aware of this connection, and is attempting to crack down on both types of offenses.
However, the assumption that someone is committing auto theft to pay for drugs is just that [...]
A deferred judgment and sentence allows a first-time offender in Colorado to plead guilty, complete a period of court supervision, and then have the guilty plea withdrawn and the charge dismissed permanently. For someone facing their first criminal charge, this is often the best available outcome.
At the Law Office of Jacob Martinez, our Denver criminal defense team has negotiated deferred judgment agreements in Colorado courts since 2014.
How a Deferred Judgment and Sentence Works in ColoradoThe defendant enters [...]
Eyewitness testimony is undeniably a powerful form of evidence in criminal cases. However, there have been studies showing it is also one of the leading causes of wrongful convictions in Denver and across the United States. This suggests that human memory is not perfect and that some situations can lead to errors in identification.
In Denver, cases involving eyewitness misidentification span a wide range of crimes. You must defend against wrongful convictions, which requires a detailed review of the circumstances [...]
Violating a Colorado protection order can trigger a new criminal charge and contempt proceedings in the same court, and any new sentence must be served back-to-back with the sentence you were already facing, not at the same time. That means a single phone call, text message, or chance encounter can double your exposure while you are still on bond or probation. Denver criminal defense attorneys at the Law Office of Jacob Martinez have defended clients against these charges across Colorado [...]