Photo Of Kyle B. Sawyer
Photo Of Kyle B. Sawyer

Charged With A Crime? It Doesn’t Mean You’re Guilty.

Denver Municipal Court Domestic Violence – General Sessions Sec. 14-68

On Behalf of | Mar 15, 2017 | Domestic Violence |

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Denver General Sessions – Domestic Violence Definition in Municipal Court

Today I was in the Denver Municipal Court, or General Sessions, for a Protection Order violation. The City Attorney insisted that my client plead to a Domestic Violence charge, since he had been in an intimate relationship with their victim. I disagreed, and asked the deputy city attorney to show my how my client’s text to his ex, amounted to Domestic Violence. As I suspected, the CA did not have a good answer. What’s the Difference Between Municipal Court and County Court?

Definition of Domestic Violence in Denver City Court

Remember, city courts and state courts (often called county and district courts) have different definitions of certain words. Domestic Violence in Denver Municipal Court is defined as follows:

(1) Domestic violence means:

a. The infliction or threat of infliction, implied by word or action, of any bodily injury or harmful physical contact upon a person with whom the actor is or has been involved in an intimate relationship; or

b. The destruction or threat of destruction, implied by word or action, of property of a person with whom the actor is or has been involved in an intimate relationship.

What is an Intimate Relationship in Denver General Sessions Court?

Like other definitions, the definition of Intimate Relationship is important for determining whether someone committed Domestic Violence in Denver.

(2) Intimate relationship means:

A relationship between spouses, former spouses, past or present unmarried couples, or persons who are both the parents of a child regardless of whether the persons have been married or have lived together at any time.

Evidence and the Law on Domestic Violence in Denver

To be convicted of Denver Domestic Violence, someone must first threaten or actually impose bodily injury on someone with whom they had an Intimate Relationship; OR threaten to destroy or actually destroy property of someone with whom they had an Intimate Relationship. In my case, the City Attorney in Denver said that since my client was involved in an Intimate Relationship, he was guilty of Domestic Violence. The government attorney did not take the time to read anything except the definition of Intimate Relationship.

City Attorneys in Denver, and District Attorneys in Denver, often get caught up in their busyness and fail to correctly read the statute or city ordinance. This is understandable, and a good reason you should never go to court without one of the top criminal defense lawyers in Denver at your side. Call us at 303-731-0719 and come in for a meeting to talk about your case. You will learn a lot and better understand the criminal law process. Together, we can protect your future.

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