Are parents responsible for the criminal acts of their juvenile children? The short answer is yes. C.R.S. 19-2-919 of the Colorado Children's Code gives authority to judges and magistrates in juvenile courts to impose restitution against parents or guardians in...
Charged With A Crime? It Doesn’t Mean You’re Guilty.
Month: July 2015
Minor in Possession of Alcohol – No Minor Offense in Denver – C.R.S. 18-13-122
Illegal Possession or Consumption of Ethyl Alcohol or Marijuana by an Underage Person, C.R.S. 18-13-122, is also known as Minor in Possession of Alcohol, or MIP in Arapahoe and Douglas County, and it can be a serious charge for children or young adults. Although a...
Escape from DOC While Serving an 18 Year Life Sentence
When Serving an Eighteen Year Sentence Becomes a Life Sentence Today, I read a story about a man in southern Colorado, near Pueblo, who was in the Department of Corrections prison system in Trinidad, serving an 18 year sentence. He had been released with a work crew,...
Insanity? Theater Shooting Trial in Aurora and Arapahoe County
We are not too far past the guilt phase of the Aurora theatre shooting trial in Arapahoe County, and the Insanity phase is underway. This made me consider what's next for the jury and their important decision making. Let's take a look at the law on the subject of...
Colorado Record Sealing – Seal It IF You Can – C.R.S. 24-72-308
Criminal and Arrest Records are Easily Created If you have a criminal record in Colorado, you should always have it sealed as long as your situation qualifies under the Record Sealing Statute, C.R.S. 24-72-308. Any arrest, whether you are convicted of a crime or not,...
Public Indecency in Denver, C.R.S. 18-7-301, What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You
Public Indecency Does not Always Require Intent Public Indecency, defined at C.R.S. 18-7-301, is a strict liability crime, which simply means what you don't know can hurt you. Most criminal acts require that the actor knows he is doing the prohibited act. There are...
First Time DUI / DWAI Could be a Denver Felony
Felony DUI Messyness in Colorado Starting August 5, 2015, Colorado will have a felony DUI-Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol law on the books. While many DUI / DWAI or drinking and driving victims in Adams and Jefferson County are happy, I am concerned that we've...
Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor in Jefferson County – Easy Felony
Most people do not realize how easy it is to get charged with Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, C.R.S. 18-6-701, in Denver or Jefferson County. If a person is convicted, he or she will pay for it the rest of their life. I know that sounds dramatic, but it is...
Buying and Selling Firearms in Colorado Just Got Complicated
Everything Colorado lawmakers touch gets complicated. This is the case with Colorado's private firearms sale law, where buyers and sellers need to go to a professional gun store to complete their "private" pistol, rifle or handgun sale. Read about the details of our...
Dismissal and Modification of Protection / Restraining Orders
If you are a restrained party under a Civil Protection Order (also known as a Restraining Order) in Denver or Adams County, which is currently in effect, you have the opportunity under Colorado law to have it dismissed entirely or modified after 2 years of compliance....