Were You Charged With a Felony Level Crime in Boulder, Colorado?
You don’t have to be a lawyer to understand the gravity of felony charges. Felony cases in Boulder jeopardize your entire way of life. Potential prison sentences, heavy fines, and a permanent criminal record threaten to derail future prospects in employment, housing, education, and more.
That’s why from the second an investigation begins or charges are filed, your first move needs to be calling the felony defense lawyers at Dawson Law Office. Our defense team provides free, confidential case reviews to start poking holes in the state’s accusations and protecting your rights at all costs. Contact us today to discuss your defense strategy.
Felony Classifications and Penalties in Colorado
Felony crimes are the most serious offenses in Colorado’s legal code, outranked in severity only by the few remaining capital felonies that can draw the death penalty.
How severe your potential sentence depends on which felony class the charges fall under, be it a:
- Class 1 Felony like first-degree murder or treason
- Class 2 Felony like second-degree murder or trafficking children
- Class 3 Felony encompassing many violent crimes
- Class 4, 5, or 6 Felony for less violent yet still serious offenses
Drug crimes are classified under Colorado’s separate level 1 through level 4 drug felony structure. More specifically, level 1 includes high-volume distribution/manufacturing of narcotics like cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. Levels 2-4 cover smaller quantities of controlled substances, depending on the type.
Potential punishments vary widely based on these classifications. Class 1 felonies draw automatic life sentences upon conviction, with no chance of parole for 40 years. While far less severe, even the lowest class 6 felony carries up to 18 months in the Colorado Department of Corrections plus substantial fines. Receiving a felony conviction also strips you of certain constitutional rights like firearm ownership and can bring severe collateral consequences.
Building a Robust Defense Strategy for Felony Cases
Clearly, the stakes for a felony defendant are immense, which is why our attorneys take a no-stone-unturned approach to constructing the most comprehensive and aggressive defense possible.
Our standard procedure includes:
- Meticulous investigation: We’ll chase down every shred of evidence and interview all relevant witnesses to identify holes in the prosecution’s case against you.
- Constitutional compliance: Did law enforcement violate your rights through illegal search and seizure, Miranda failures, or coerced confessions? We’ll scrutinize all police procedures for unconstitutional conduct.
- Mitigating evidence and plea negotiation: Where charges cannot be outright dismissed, we’ll fight to reduce them through innovative plea arguments and evidence of mitigating circumstances surrounding the alleged offense.
- Aggressive litigation: In cases where the optimal path is taking the matter to court, you’ll have some of Colorado’s most seasoned trial lawyers in your corner, deploying proven strategies to challenge the charges and evidence before a judge and jury.
No felony defense approach is one-size-fits-all. Our Boulder attorneys carefully tailor each case strategy around the specific charges, evidence, prosecution tactics, and particulars of the client’s situation. It’s this level of commitment and experience-driven customization that allows us to achieve favorable outcomes consistently.
Potential Consequences of a Felony Conviction
The penalties handed down directly from the court are often just the start of a convicted felon’s troubles. While avoiding imprisonment is always the top priority, even felonies not resulting in jail time bring long-lasting, severely detrimental effects, including:
- A permanent criminal record: Accessible to potential employers, landlords, lenders, and others, a felony on your record creates major barriers in securing jobs, housing, loans, and educational opportunities long after you’ve served your sentence.
- Stripped constitutional rights: Those convicted of felonies permanently lose rights like firearm ownership and face restrictions on jury service, voting while incarcerated, and holding public office.
- Professional consequences: Many felonies can trigger the suspension or revocation of occupational licenses for careers like law, medicine, finance, education, and more – potentially costing you your livelihood.
- Supervision requirements: Even when jail time is avoided, felons typically face probation periods of years or longer with strict conditions preventing certain actions or associations.
Felony Record Sealing and Expungement
While these consequences are dire, hope is not entirely lost in moving forward after a felony case. Colorado has procedures allowing for criminal record sealing and, in some circumstances, outright expungement or conviction pardons.
Most felonies become eligible for sealing 3-5 years after the case’s final disposition, creating opportunities to have that record removed from public view. However, the waiting periods, petition processes, and legal requirements around sealing different classes of felonies vary significantly.
What’s more, certain felonies, like those involving sexual offenses or domestic violence, can never be sealed, while others may potentially qualify for full expungement or a governor’s pardon after lengthy wait times – fully clearing the offense from your record.
These avenues require experienced legal counsel who is well-versed in Colorado’s criminal record clearance laws. Our attorneys work hand-in-hand with clients determined to move on with their lives, doing everything possible to mitigate the long-term ramifications of a felony conviction.
Protecting Your Rights – Contact a Boulder Felony Lawyer
If you’ve been arrested or believe charges could be forthcoming, taking immediate action to involve legal counsel is your best opportunity to avoid disastrous consequences. Our seasoned Boulder criminal defense attorneys have spent their careers defending clients against Colorado’s most serious charges, from felony-level drug offenses to violent crimes, white-collar fraud, and beyond.
Having served Boulder County and surrounding areas for years, Dawson Law Office has a reputation for steadfast client advocacy and uncompromising ethics. Our extensive trial experience allows us to aggressively counter prosecutorial overreach at every turn using cutting-edge defense tactics and strategies.
When your liberties and future hang in the balance, you need a Boulder law firm with the proven ability to go toe-to-toe with the full weight of the criminal justice system. Call or contact us online today to arrange a free, confidential case evaluation with our top-rated felony defense lawyers. Let’s build the strongest possible defense to preserve your rights, freedom, and future prospects.
