Understanding Colorado’s Deferred Judgment and Sentence Options for First Offenders
May 1, 2026
During certain times of the year, the Colorado Department of Transportation runs the highly publicized Heat is On Campaign in an effort to catch and arrest more drunk drivers.
Typically, CDOT schedules Heat is On Campaigns around common drunk driving occasions such as New Years Eve and other holidays. By adding patrols and checkpoints out on the roads, these campaigns have historically led to increased DUI arrests and convictions. Essentially, law enforcement officers are out in force to catch drunk [...]
If you’ll be in Denver for St. Paddy’s Day, you’ll find many ways to celebrate the holiday.
From pub crawls to Irish-themed dinners, there are dozens of special events planned, and many different places where you can do it. If part of your celebration is going to involve alcohol, take care that you don’t get behind the wheel after drinking. Do so and you risk not only hurting yourself and others, but also possibly getting a DUI.
Here are some [...]
In 2017, a total of 10,359 drivers were arrested during 14 law enforcement periods. That’s way up from the same time span in 2016, when 7,279 drivers were arrested during 12 enforcement periods.
Why were there so many more DUI arrests in Colorado in a one-year time span?
Below, we’re going to explore that question in more detail and offer some possible answers, as well as why it’s so important to get good legal help if you find yourself accused [...]
Drinking and driving are illegal throughout the United States. If you’re caught committing this crime, you could face serious consequences like jail time, community service, expensive fines and fees, suspension of your driver’s license, and numerous other penalties that could affect all aspects of your life.
That’s why it’s important to understand our state’s laws when it comes to drinking and driving.
Some states, like Texas, have DWI offenses – driving while intoxicated. Here in Colorado, however, we have two [...]
Have you ever wondered what your blood alcohol content (BAC) is before getting behind the wheel?
There are numerous breathalyzers on the market that are available to consumers for their own personal use. Right now, however, you may not even need to buy one. Why? Because the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is giving away breathalyzers to eligible candidates in an effort to study whether having access to a mobile Breathalyzer decreases a person’s risk of driving drunk.
Drinking and [...]
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 [...]