Understanding Colorado’s Deferred Judgment and Sentence Options for First Offenders
May 1, 2026
Restraining orders, commonly known as protection orders in Colorado, serve as valuable tools to protect individuals from threats, harassment, or violence. However, there are instances where restraining orders are issued unjustly or based on false allegations.
If you find yourself facing an unjust restraining order in Colorado, it’s essential to understand your legal remedies and the steps you can take to challenge it. In this blog, we will delve into the process of challenging restraining orders that may have [...]
Sex crimes are taken seriously in Colorado and around the country. However, time spent in jail for the offense may be just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to sex crimes. Why?
To put it simply, there are many hidden costs associated with being convicted of a sex offense. Many people are not aware of these consequences and what it could mean for their future.
That’s why it’s crucial to not only understand what type of actions can [...]
Protection orders are issued by courts in Colorado to protect one person from another. It keeps the person named in the order from contacting the other in any way. You may hear these types of orders referred to as restraining orders, no-contact orders, or injunctions, but they all effectively serve the same purpose.
In most cases, victims of domestic violence seek protective orders against their abusers, but there isn’t simply one kind of protective order. In fact, the state of [...]
Many people think of protective orders and restraining orders as interchangeable. The truth is that they are two very different things in Colorado.
Here’s what you need to know about these two distinct orders, how they’re different, and what happens if one is violated.
Colorado Restraining OrdersRestraining orders are court-issued. They demand that a person suspected of domestic abuse or violence avoid contact with a victim.
What a Restraining Order IsAnyone who fears for their safety can ask [...]
The Coronavirus pandemic has turned all of our lives up-side-down in one respect or another. This is especially true for Coloradoans currently bound to the court system in some way.
For those dealing with a protective order in particular, on top of any restrictions you’ve experienced under the current pandemic protocol, a protective order can further restrict your ability to travel and can have an overreaching impact on your livelihood.
Another requirement often associated with protective orders?
No contact with [...]
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 [...]