What You Need to Know About Colorado Domestic Violence LawsBeing charged with domestic violence can turn your life upside down. Our attorney at Iyer Law Office in Denver will tell you what you need to know about Colorado domestic violence laws.

Let’s look at how Colorado law responds to domestic violence.

Colorado law (C.R.S. 18-6-800.3(1)) defines domestic violence as an act or threatened act of violence upon a person with whom the actor is or has been involved in an intimate relationship.

But what most people don’t know is that domestic violence includes: any other crime against a person, or against property, including an animal, or any municipal ordinance violation against a person, or against property, including an animal, when used as a method of coercion, control, punishment, intimidation, or revenge directed against a person with whom the actor is or has been involved in an intimate relationship.

But what is an intimate relationship?

According to Colorado law (C.R.S. 18-6-800.3(2)), and  intimate relationship is a relationship between spouses, former spouses, past or present unmarried couples, or persons who are both the parents of the same child regardless of whether the persons have been married or have lived together at any time.

You also need to know that domestic violence is by itself not a crime, instead, it is a sentencing enhancer that can be attached to nearly any other crime.

In addition, you don’t have to have actual physical contact to be charged with domestic violence. For example, if you threaten someone, break property, constantly text or call, or even use obscene language, it could result in a charge.

Colorado is a mandatory arrest state (C.R.S. 18-6-803.6). This means when a police officer thinks there is probable cause to believe that a domestic violence offense has been committed, they will arrest the suspected offender. So in Colorado it comes down to this, if the police are called, someone is going to jail.

Once someone is arrested for domestic violence, a mandatory restraining order is entered. This means you cannot have contact with the victim until the restraining order is lifted. You will be subject to another criminal charge if you do. Also, third party contact is included, so don’t try to go around it by asking someone else to contact the victim.

Colorado has a no-drop prosecution policy, which means the prosecutor cannot drop domestic violence charges unless they believe they cannot prove the case at trial. So just because whoever was in the fight makes up and wants to drop the charges, it won’t happen.

If you are arrested, you should not say anything. If you can, you should bond out of jail and do not have any contact with the victim. That means absolutely no contact, because until the restraining order is lifted, you another case can be brought against you if you violate the restraining order. If the victim tries to contact you, do not respond. The other person won’t get in trouble, but you will.

If you are facing charges that involve domestic violence, you need to hire a good attorney to have the best chance of a positive outcome. Our team at Iyer Law Office in Denver will explain what you need to know about Colorado domestic violence laws. And we’ll work night and day to defend you against a conviction that will follow you your whole life, negatively impacting your family, your job, and your good name. Call us today for a free case evaluation.

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