Understanding Colorado’s Deferred Judgment and Sentence Options for First Offenders
May 1, 2026
A recent report from the United Nations said that the most dangerous place for women to be was their homes – largely due to domestic partner violence. This doesn’t just apply to faraway countries, either. According to reports, one in three women in the United States has experienced some sort of intimate partner violence in their lifetimes.
Women, however, are not the only victims of domestic violence. Men’s rights groups throughout the country want to get the word out about [...]
In Colorado, a charge of vehicular homicide comes with serious penalties. In this post we’ll break down the law on vehicular homicide and how it applies to individual cases. We’ll also describe the penalties and let you know what legal help is available.
First, let’s look at a couple of actual recent cases.
Two Recent Vehicular Homicide CasesOn Jan. 27, a three-vehicle crash killed two and injured three on Interstate 25 near Denver. A 2006 black Jeep utility vehicle [...]
If you or your child have been accused of a crime, you are no doubt concerned about the long-term consequences of a criminal record. However, depending upon the nature of the crime and any prior convictions, you or your child could qualify for a diversion program that will get the charges dismissed.
What are criminal diversion programs, and how can they help you?
The aim of criminal diversion programs is to rehabilitate defendants and help them avoid a criminal record, [...]
If you are facing criminal charges, don’t think your sentencing is inevitable. There are a number of different things that a skilled Denver criminal lawyer can do to help you get your charges reduced, dismissed, or dropped.
You may be able to make a plea agreement with the prosecution, admitting your guilt in exchange for lesser charges. Alternatively, some Colorado defense attorneys have a successful track record at getting charges dropped before the case even goes to trial by using [...]
A good witness can make or break a criminal case. Witnesses can bring charges against someone, and can even be the key to a conviction. Death sentences have been overturned because a witness recanted their testimony.
Therein lies the problem. A fair criminal justice system is not just the responsibility of prosecutors, lawyers, and judges. All citizens have to contribute to ensure fair trials and a fair system. – including witnesses.
That’s why the Colorado Springs Police Department has issued [...]
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 [...]