The Impact of Mental Health Issues on Criminal Defense in Denver
November 19, 2025
Have you ever wondered what your blood alcohol content (BAC) is before getting behind the wheel?
There are numerous breathalyzers on the market that are available to consumers for their own personal use. Right now, however, you may not even need to buy one. Why? Because the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is giving away breathalyzers to eligible candidates in an effort to study whether having access to a mobile Breathalyzer decreases a person’s risk of driving drunk.
Drinking and [...]
Memorial Day is about remembering those who lost their lives while serving our country, but it’s also a time where we start celebrating the end of the school year and the beginning of summer. We get together with family and friends to relax, grill, and enjoy a couple of drinks over the long three-day weekend before we have to head back to work on Tuesday.
When we celebrate Memorial Day with a few drinks, though, it’s important to remember not [...]
If you are put on probation, you still have to display excellent behavior and stay out of trouble. Actions that are perfectly legal for anyone else may put you back in the courtroom – or possibly even jail.
Depending on the terms of your probation, one of those actions may be the seemingly innocuous decision to have a few drinks. Ty Lawson is learning this the hard way.
Back in 2015, when Lawson was still playing with the Denver Nuggets, [...]
How many drinks does it take before your blood alcohol content reaches .08 and you cannot legally drive? If you think you have a definite answer, chances are pretty good that you’re wrong.
Why? Because blood alcohol content (BAC) is determined by factors including the food in your stomach, your weight, sex, and how quickly you consumed the alcohol in question.
The only way to really prove a driver’s exact BAC is a breathalyzer test. That’s why breath and blood [...]
The 2017 Super Bowl certainly came with a lot of surprises, including one of the best comebacks in sports history. Hopefully, that was the only surprise you experienced on Super Bowl Sunday. However, if you were surprised when an officer pulled you over and arrested you for driving under the influence, you should know that it wasn’t just a random accident.
Police departments throughout Colorado tend to amp up their vigilance during holidays and events when people are more likely [...]
Mental health conditions can intersect with criminal justice in complex ways, requiring nuanced handling. In Denver, urban stressors can exacerbate these challenges, making it essential to understand how mental health affects criminal cases.
Consulting a Denver criminal defense lawyer at the Law Office of Jacob Martinez early ensures these factors are addressed properly, potentially leading to treatment-focused resolutions instead of punitive measures.
How Mental Health Influences Criminal BehaviorMental health disorders can shape behavior in ways that lead to criminal [...]
A confession is one of the most powerful pieces of evidence in any criminal case. Denver law enforcement officers are trained to use strategic questioning and behavioral tactics to elicit statements. While many interrogations follow lawful standards, some cross the line into coercion. Once a confession is recorded, prosecutors may rely heavily on it, regardless of whether the statement was obtained fairly or accurately reflects the truth.
At the Law Office of Jacob Martinez, our criminal defense team understands how [...]
If you’re facing charges as a repeat offender in Denver, understanding Colorado’s three strikes law and habitual criminal penalties could be the difference between years in prison and your freedom. Colorado’s habitual offender statute dramatically increases prison sentences for defendants with prior felony convictions, sometimes resulting in life sentences even for non-violent crimes.
At the Law Office of Jacob Martinez, our experienced Denver habitual criminal defense lawyers represent clients facing three strikes charges and other serious felony offenses across Colorado. [...]