The Difference Between Misdemeanor and Felony Assault Charges in Colorado
June 30, 2026
In our state, you won’t find a looting law on the books. In fact, only a handful of other states have actual, specific looting laws.
Here, if you are found looting, other charges like theft, burglary, or robbery will apply. Read more to learn about these charges and their penalties.
TheftTheft is when an individual knowingly takes something of value without another’s permission. Even if they did not take the item of value themselves, but received or accepted stolen [...]
A teen girl shoving lipstick into her purse. A man trying on clothes and wearing them as he walks out of the store without paying. A kid taking a toy because he really wanted it. Or maybe a celebrity stealing something from a store when they could have easily paid for it.
These are the kinds of things many of us imagine when we think about shoplifting. It is a “minor” crime that takes little effort, causes little harm, and [...]
The Colorado Springs Police Department used to have an Impact Unit that worked to handle property crimes. They were very effective, too. Between January and mid-September of this year, the Impact Unit recovered $1 million worth of stolen vehicles, $52,000 worth of stolen property, and made 1,900 arrests related to property crimes.
There was a problem, however. Dedicating officers to the Impact Unit meant that there weren’t enough police patrolling the streets. Many officers were being put at risk, and [...]
When you think of theft penalties, what do you think of?
Jail time? Fines? Paying the business or property owners back for the things that were stolen? It depends on the type of theft charge you face.
But while all of the above penalties may be assigned in court, consequences do not end with a judge’s gavel. In Colorado, a theft charge or conviction can cost you your job and opportunities for future employment.
No one is safe from these [...]
If you steal, you could be charged with theft.
If you steal, you could be charged with burglary.
What’s the difference?
First off, both charges are very serious. Both burglaries and thefts of over $1,000 are considered felony offenses. The two can also be charged together, along with similar crimes like trespassing.
But theft and burglary are not the same action. Below we will define and explore the penalties for both theft and burglary in Colorado.
All about Colorado Theft[...]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[...]