The Difference Between Misdemeanor and Felony Assault Charges in Colorado
June 30, 2026
It’s unlikely that anyone needs to tell a person that driving under the influence is a big mistake in Colorado. The Centennial State has some of the stiffest DUI penalties in the nation. Even if you manage to avoid conviction for a DUI, there’s still the matter of a criminal record.
The law in Colorado allows you to expunge certain crimes and arrests from your criminal record. Is a DUI one of those crimes? In some circumstances, it is, but [...]
Facing a criminal charge can be a stressful experience. Chances are, you’re living in the moment, and your are concerned about how it’s affecting your life in the here and now – not how it can impact your life in the future.
The truth of the matter is that, in Colorado and all across the United States, a criminal record can have huge consequences for your life. Even if you are successful in having criminal charges against you dropped, a [...]
For anyone with a criminal record, having a background check done to get a new job or secure a new apartment can be quite stressful. Background checks will show any criminal convictions and even arrests that have taken place, which can be a barrier for some people when it comes to finding a new job or getting a new place to live.
Thankfully, for many people, there is a legal remedy to this problem: record sealing or expungement. There are [...]
As you switch out your calendar and ring in the New Year, it’s time to think about your resolutions. How are you going to make a positive change in 2020? What will help you move forward in life?
We know the usual resolutions: go on a diet, quit smoking, hit the gym, etc., but if you’ve got a Colorado criminal record, there’s a more important matter at hand. Your history is probably already holding you back.
So have your criminal [...]
Whether you are convicted, charged, or even just arrested, you will get a criminal record. This criminal record will follow you wherever you go, making it difficult to get a job, rent an apartment, or do anything that requires a background check.
The good news is that some criminal records may be “sealed” or “expunged” in Colorado. Both of these processes essentially “hide” your record from anyone looking into your background. It also means that you are not required to [...]
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. [...]
A preliminary hearing in a felony case in Colorado is one of the earliest opportunities for the prosecution’s evidence to be tested before a judge. It happens after charges have been filed and the defendant has made an initial appearance, but before the case moves into trial court. The hearing is not about deciding guilt or innocence. Instead, the court is checking whether the prosecution has sufficient evidence to move the case forward.
In Colorado, this stage is often [...]
Only one drug felony level in Colorado carries a true mandatory prison sentence. The other three carry presumptive ranges where a judge still has discretion, meaning the defense strategy in a DF2, DF3, or DF4 case looks completely different from that in a DF1 case. At the Law Office of Jacob Martinez, our Denver drug crimes attorney has spent more than a decade in Denver courts, working to achieve better outcomes for clients facing felony drug charges.
Only One Drug[...]