How Colorado’s Mandatory Minimum Sentences Impact Drug Crime Defense
June 1, 2026
Many people want to avoid going to court when they’re charged with a crime. After all, it’s expensive, and the outcome is not guaranteed. Many people opt for plea bargains, including those in DUI cases in Colorado.
While a plea bargain is an option, it’s not always the best one. In fact, sometimes a plea bargain may be the worst thing you can do for your DUI case.
What’s important is to understand what a plea bargain is, what it [...]
When you’re pulled over by police, you may feel as if you’re in a vulnerable position – especially if you’ve been drinking.
However, it’s important to keep sight of the fact that you have rights, and the police are supposed to follow certain procedures to ensure those rights are not violated. If they don’t, then the case against you, no matter how strong, can be dismissed.
A prime example is occurring in Colorado Springs right now. A court order out [...]
The long Memorial Day weekend provided lots of opportunities for fun adventures and mishaps. Sadly, it also resulted in a lot more intoxicated drivers on the road — and police patrols to catch them before they could cause any harm.
The Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado State Patrol, and around 80 local law enforcement agencies banded together May 28-June 1, greatly increasing their presence on the road. This targeted focus meant people were far more likely to get arrested for [...]
In Colorado, the law is strict regarding following proper procedures. That’s how one Colorado cop recently avoided a conviction for drunk driving despite a wide variety of evidence.
The evidence existed, sure – including a BAC reading 5 times the legal limit – but it was collected incorrectly. The law is clear about what evidence can and cannot be included in a trial, and improperly collected evidence may as well be no evidence at all.
The cop was found passed [...]
The holidays are a time when there are plenty of parties, tons of traveling, and abundant alcohol. This can be a great time, or it can be a recipe for disaster.
It’s all too easy to get a DUI during the month when everyone is serving spiked eggnog and there’s a gathering almost every night.
It’s also easy to be safe and smart during the holidays. Avoiding a DUI is as simple as not driving while you’re intoxicated. These three [...]
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[...]Yes. Dash cam footage from police vehicles and your own camera can be used to challenge DUI charges in Colorado. The question is not whether it is relevant but whether you know how to obtain it, how Colorado courts evaluate it, and what a defense attorney actually does with it. The Law Office of Jacob E. Martinez has defended DUI cases throughout Denver and surrounding Colorado courts for more than 15 years.
What Colorado Police Dash Cams Actually Record at[...]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 [...]