Challenging Field Drug Tests in Colorado Cases
April 14, 2025
Posted by: Jacob E. Martinez
Category: Drug Crimes
Field drug tests are often treated as if they’re definitive. You’re told the results came back positive, and that’s that. But if you’ve been charged in Colorado based on one of these tests, there’s a good chance the results don’t tell the whole story.
You need a Denver, Colorado drug crimes defense lawyer who’ll ask hard questions, examine the smallest details, and challenge assumptions that prosecutors would rather leave untouched. We take that work seriously at the Law Office of Jacob E. Martinez. We’ll challenge what doesn’t add up and push back on the shortcuts that put you in this position.
Those little color-changing kits officers use during traffic stops might seem high-tech, but many are outdated, prone to false positives, and incredibly sensitive to outside contamination. Something as harmless as powdered aspirin, baking soda, or even sugar substitutes have triggered positive results in past cases. If you’ve been arrested because of a test that changed color, you’ve got every right to question the accuracy of that so-called “evidence.”
An attorney with the Law Office of Jacob E. Martinez will dig into the exact test used and ask whether the device was expired, stored properly, and the officer followed the correct procedure. We’ll demand the lab results – not just those from the field kit – and highlight any inconsistencies between what was tested and what was claimed at the scene. A defense lawyer will fight to ensure that flawed roadside guesswork doesn’t determine your future.
Field tests aren’t conducted in a lab. They happen under pressure, often at night, sometimes in poor weather, and almost always without any kind of scientific control. The officer administering the test may have had only a few hours of training. That’s not a knock on their role, but it’s a serious problem when prosecutors treat the result as the smoking gun. Even the Department of Justice has acknowledged that field drug tests can be unreliable.
At won’t stop at the test itself. We’ll look at every step leading up to and following the arrest. Were you told your rights? Were the results documented properly? Did the officer discard the test or preserve it for review?
These questions matter because your freedom may depend on the answer. At the Law Office of Jacob E. Martinez, a Denver, CO drug crimes defense lawyer will pull apart each thread and bring the real facts into focus. We’ll work to suppress the test results if the evidence shows they’re inaccurate.
When you work with a Denver, Colorado drug crimes defense lawyer at the Law Office of Jacob E. Martinez, we’ll show up prepared. We’ll challenge the state’s evidence at every step and keep you informed the entire way. We’ll dig deep where others stop short and give your case the attention it demands.
Our defense attorneys will never rush through the process or pressure you to settle for less than you deserve. You’ll have someone by your side who knows what’s at stake and won’t back down. That’s the kind of defense you need. That’s the kind of defense we provide. Use our online form or call (720) 246-6700 for a free case evaluation.
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