Understanding Colorado’s Stand Your Ground Laws in Self-Defense Claims
August 26, 2025
Trespassing, a seemingly innocuous act, can lead to serious legal ramifications, especially in the state of Colorado. Whether you’re hiking in the Rockies or wandering through urban areas, knowing the ins and outs of trespassing laws is crucial to avoiding legal trouble.
This blog post delves into Colorado’s trespassing laws, exploring the different degrees of offenses and their potential consequences. Additionally, we’ll discuss the importance of building a strong defense with the help of an experienced criminal defense lawyer.
What[...]Right now, it’s hard to miss that it’s election season. Political signs are everywhere and in such a highly polarized political climate, the urge to do something to your neighbor’s political sign can feel overwhelming.
Take a deep breath!
While it’s not against the law to disagree with someone’s political views, it is against the law to tamper with someone else’s property. So if you mess with your Colorado neighbor’s political signs there could be legal ramifications.
In fact, getting [...]
See if this sounds familiar: “If cops don’t have to worry about arresting people for marijuana, they can pay attention to crimes that actually matter.”
Most of us have heard numerous variations of this argument over the years, but until 2012, it was just theoretical. Then Colorado and Washington legalized recreational marijuana, and researchers and statisticians started chomping at the bit.
Well, a few weeks ago a study was published in Police Quarterly that seems to possibly validate those types [...]
The term “property crimes” may refer to a broad range of offenses relating to theft or destruction of property, from low-level misdemeanors to more serious felonies.
Under Colorado law, property crimes are penalized harshly, and consequences may become more serious when they involve harm or threat to other people. We’ve included a guide to seven of the most common types of property crimes below.
Arson. You can be charged with arson for intentionally starting a fire or using explosives to [...]
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 [...]