Thankfully, an inherent right given to you through the Constitution is your right to remain silent if what you have to say may lead to legal consequences. This 5th Amendment right protects you from having to admit to anything that could result in criminal charges against you. Imagine if we did not have this permission – you could actually be Continue Reading
Category: Courts and Procedures
Pre-Trial Services in Criminal Cases Fort Collins Criminal Defense Attorney’s Inside Scoop
When a person is arrested or charged with a crime in Fort Collins, Loveland, or Estes Park, a judge can order Pre-Trial Services (PTS) to look into and monitor them throughout the duration of the case. If someone is in custody and awaiting a bond hearing, Pre-Trial Services is tasked with looking for any issues that might make the person Continue Reading
Fort Collins Criminal Defense Attorney | Subpoenas: What Are They and Are They Useful?
In Larimer, Grand, and Boulder County Court, the defense and the prosecution can use a document called a subpoena to get witnesses, experts, and victims to appear in court and testify. This is a vital part of any motions hearing or trial – bringing the right people in to present information that can help your case. Let’s look at the Continue Reading
Pro Se Representation in Fort Collins: A Good Idea?
Before getting into the debate on whether pro se representation is a good idea, we should probably talk about what it actually is. In laymen’s terms, pro se representation is when a defendant decides to represent themselves without a lawyer in Larimer, Boulder, or Grand County Court. Usually when, people charged with a crime choose to go this route, it Continue Reading
Voting and Criminal Convictions in Larimer County: Can I Vote If I Have a Criminal Record or Felony?
With the presidential election quickly approaching, you may be wondering about your right to vote. While voting is a constitutional right guaranteed to all U.S. citizens, law makers in Colorado have made it illegal for certain people to vote. That’s right, it can be a class 5 felony to vote in certain situations. If you have a criminal record and Continue Reading
Hung Jury / Mistrial in Fort Collins | What Does It Mean?
When a felony or misdemeanor case goes to trial in Larimer, Boulder, or Grand County, a guilty or not guilty verdict are not the only possible conclusions. Sometimes, the trial ends in a mistrial by hung jury. Read more about a jury trial from the American Bar Association. What is a Hung Jury / Mistrial in Larimer County? A hung Continue Reading
Will I Face Jail Time for My Criminal Conviction in Fort Collins?
Judges face a myriad of choices when it comes time to sentence someone convicted of or who plead guilty to a criminal offense. Penalties range from a simple fine to incarceration in a Colorado Department of Corrections prison. Anyone with a misdemeanor conviction faces probation or a potential sentence of serving time in the Larimer, Boulder or Grand County Jail. Continue Reading
Will I Face Prison Time with My Felony Criminal Conviction Sentence in Fort Collins?
When a person is convicted of or pleads guilty to a crime, a judge must decide an appropriate punishment. Judges can sentence a person to probation, community corrections, jail or prison time depending on the circumstances. Sometimes with certain crimes and situations, the law requires a period of incarceration. Let’s take a closer look at the prison incarceration sentencing ranges. Continue Reading
Judicial Abuse of Power and Detention Centers | Where Is the Line in Fort Collins?
Court judges have a lot of power over people’s lives and that is not a responsibility to be taken lightly. Most judges take it very seriously, but some seem to take their power too far. One judge seemingly overstepped her bounds when she sent three children to a detention facility after they refused to go to lunch with their dad. Continue Reading
Background Checks in Fort Collins: What Can People Find Out About You?
It used to be when you applied for a job, your prospective employer would verify your employment history and check your references to make a decision about whether or not to hire you. Now, the common practice is to run full background checks on a person to get as much information as possible. But what is actually included in a Continue Reading