Understanding Colorado’s Stand Your Ground Laws in Self-Defense Claims
August 26, 2025
If you are facing drug charges in Colorado, you have several options when putting together your defense. Which strategy to use will depend upon the facts of your specific situation – something a knowledgeable criminal lawyer will be able to help you with.
That being said, knowing the various potential defenses that may be able to help you can be valuable. Because of that, in this post we are going to cover a number of common defenses to drug charges [...]
The biggest drug kingpin under the FBI’s watch is Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, former leader of the Sinaloa cartel. During his time as kingpin, he likely ran the world’s largest drug smuggling operation. Even though he is equally notorious for his ability to escape from prison, the United States is confident that they’ve now got him for good. Guzman currently faces 17 federal criminal counts, and if convicted, will be sentenced to life in prison.
Why no death penalty? When [...]
At the beginning of this year, President Obama started a conversation about the consequences of the War on Drugs by commuting a record-breaking number of low-level drug offenders. Many of these offenders were put away for decades on drug trafficking charges when the powers that be believed that the only answer to our drug epidemic was incredibly harsh penalties.
The country is changing, though. More and more states are decriminalizing or even legalizing marijuana in one form or another. The [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]