Understanding Colorado’s Stand Your Ground Laws in Self-Defense Claims
August 26, 2025
Burglary is typically depicted as someone sneaking in to someone’s house late at night through a window and tiptoeing around to commit theft. However, while this certainly is a form of burglary, it is not the only way that you can receive a burglary charge in our state.
In fact, Colorado’s legal definition of burglary includes many other types of crimes and types of actions. Case-in-point: burglary doesn’t have to involve someone’s home – or even a building.
All told, [...]
Property crimes are taken very seriously in Colorado, as they often have devastating consequences for the victim(s) and/or property owner.
Fortunately, Denver has recently enjoyed a decrease in property crimes. As of this writing, the city has averaged 1917 property crimes per month in 2018, a substantial decrease from last year’s average of 2131 property crimes per month.
Local law enforcement often pays special attention to crimes that are widespread or on the rise, which might lead you to believe [...]
Here’s a lesson you hopefully don’t need us to teach you: do not drive a stolen car to court after being accused of car theft.
Sounds obvious, right? Unfortunately, that’s exactly what a Connecticut man did earlier this month.
Jonathan Rivera, 25, was scheduled to appear in court on charges of first-degree larceny and tampering with a vehicle. He showed up for his court appearance in a 2014 Subaru Legacy.
When he arrived, parking authority agents scanned the license plates [...]
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 [...]
Most people see the winter holiday season as a time of celebration. Thankfulness. Togetherness. Joy and cheer. For the Denver police and others in local law enforcement, though, it is also a time that brings a huge uptick in the number of theft cases they have to handle.
Some of these cases are truly unusual, like the young adults that recently got caught on camera stealing Christmas decorations. Or the man who allegedly stole over $7,000 worth of Christmas trees [...]
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 [...]