Arapahoe County Felony Lawyer
A felony charge in Arapahoe County carries consequences that reach far beyond a courtroom verdict. Convictions can mean mandatory prison time, fines that climb into the tens of thousands, and a permanent record that follows you into every job application, rental agreement, and professional licensing review you will ever face. When the 18th Judicial District files charges against you, the weight of a well-funded prosecution is on the other side of the table. Reid DeChant is an Arapahoe County felony lawyer who has handled serious charges at every stage, from first appearance through jury trial, and who understands what it actually takes to push back against the state.
What the 18th Judicial District Actually Does With Felony Cases
The Arapahoe County District Court, located in Centennial, processes felony cases under Colorado’s tiered felony classification system. Class 1 felonies carry life sentences. Class 6 felonies, at the lower end, still carry presumptive ranges of 12 to 18 months in the Department of Corrections. Between those poles sits a wide band of charges where charging decisions, plea negotiations, and trial strategy can make an enormous practical difference in where someone ends up.
Cases in the 18th Judicial District often move quickly. After a county court advisement and preliminary hearing, cases are bound over to district court for arraignment. Prosecutors in Arapahoe County are experienced and generally well-prepared. They know their judges. They know which arguments land. The district also sees a significant volume of cases involving Aurora and the surrounding suburban communities, where law enforcement agencies including the Aurora Police Department and Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office handle initial investigations. By the time a case reaches the DA’s office, there is usually a file with witness statements, body camera footage, and lab results already in it. An attorney who waits until the last minute to review that material is behind before the case truly begins.
Reid reviews discovery as it comes in, identifies weaknesses in the state’s evidence early, and builds the defense around those weaknesses rather than reacting to the prosecution’s timeline.
Felony Charges That Frequently Come Through Arapahoe County Courts
Drug distribution and possession charges, assault charges ranging from third-degree misdemeanors escalated to felony-level through aggravating factors, weapons offenses, theft and financial crimes, and sex offenses all move through this court with regularity. Many originate along the I-225 corridor, near Aurora’s commercial and residential areas, or from incidents that occurred during or after events at area venues.
Colorado’s felony DUI statute deserves particular attention. A fourth DUI offense is charged as a Class 4 felony regardless of whether there was an accident or injury. For someone who has prior DUI convictions from any Colorado county, that escalation can happen without warning if they are stopped again in Arapahoe County. Reid has handled DUI cases at both the misdemeanor and felony level, including the DMV license revocation proceedings that run parallel to the criminal case, and he knows how those two tracks interact.
Domestic violence designations also complicate felony cases significantly. A charge that would otherwise be a Class 5 felony assault can carry mandatory sentencing considerations, mandatory protection orders, and collateral consequences involving firearms under federal law when it carries a domestic violence tag. These cases move through Arapahoe County courts under strict statutory frameworks that experienced defense counsel must navigate carefully from day one.
Where Evidence Gets Challenged and Cases Get Won
Most felony cases are not resolved by a judge at sentencing. They are resolved, or fought, much earlier, at the motion stage. Suppression motions challenging the legality of a stop, an arrest, or a search can remove key evidence before trial. A Fourth Amendment violation in how Arapahoe County sheriff’s deputies conducted a vehicle search, or how Aurora police executed a warrant, can mean that the prosecution’s strongest evidence never reaches the jury.
Preliminary hearings in Colorado felony cases give defense attorneys an opportunity to cross-examine the state’s witnesses under oath before trial. That is not just procedural theater. It locks witnesses into testimony and sometimes reveals inconsistencies that did not appear in the initial police report. Reid approaches these hearings as substantive events, not formalities.
When cases do go to trial, the storytelling matters. Reid’s training at Trial Lawyers College was built around one core idea: jurors respond to truth told with clarity and compassion. The facts of a case exist. How a jury understands those facts, and who they believe about contested events, depends on how the defense presents its client’s story. That is not manipulation. That is advocacy.
Questions Worth Asking Before This Goes Any Further
What is the difference between a Class 4, Class 5, and Class 6 felony in Colorado?
Colorado classifies felonies from Class 1 (most serious) down to Class 6 (least serious). A Class 4 felony carries a presumptive sentence of 2 to 6 years in prison and fines from $2,000 to $500,000. A Class 5 felony carries 1 to 3 years and fines from $1,000 to $100,000. A Class 6 felony carries 12 to 18 months and fines from $1,000 to $100,000. There are also extraordinary risk felony enhancements that push these ranges higher for certain charges. The specific range for your charge depends on the statute under which you were charged and any aggravating or mitigating factors the court may consider.
Can a felony charge in Arapahoe County be reduced to a misdemeanor?
Yes, in some cases. Colorado law allows for deferred judgments, plea agreements to lesser charges, and in some circumstances, wobbler statutes that leave the final classification to the court based on how the case resolves. Whether reduction is possible depends heavily on the specific charges, your prior record, and the strength of the evidence. This is not guaranteed in any case, but it is a realistic outcome in many.
If I was charged in Aurora, does my case go to Arapahoe County District Court?
Generally yes. Aurora sits within Arapahoe County, and felony cases originating from Aurora Police Department investigations are typically prosecuted in the 18th Judicial District, which includes Arapahoe County District Court in Centennial. There are some jurisdictional nuances depending on where exactly within Aurora an incident occurred, since Aurora extends into Adams and Douglas Counties as well, but the majority of Aurora felony cases are handled in Arapahoe County.
What happens at a preliminary hearing for a felony charge?
A preliminary hearing is a proceeding where the prosecution must demonstrate probable cause that a crime was committed and that the defendant committed it. The standard is lower than trial, but the hearing creates an opportunity to cross-examine witnesses, evaluate the strength of the state’s evidence, and sometimes negotiate from a position of greater information. In Arapahoe County, defendants charged with felonies are entitled to a preliminary hearing unless they waive it. Whether to waive or proceed is a strategic decision that should be made with counsel.
How long does a felony case in Arapahoe County typically take to resolve?
It varies considerably. Cases that resolve by plea agreement often conclude within a few months. Cases that proceed to trial, especially those involving complex charges or significant evidence, can take a year or more from first appearance to verdict. The timeline is influenced by discovery volume, court scheduling, and whether pretrial motions are filed. Some cases benefit from moving quickly; others benefit from taking the time to build a stronger record.
Does Reid DeChant handle felony DUI cases specifically?
Yes. Felony DUI in Colorado, which is a fourth or subsequent offense, is a priority area for DeChant Law. These cases involve both the criminal prosecution and a separate DMV express consent proceeding that can result in license revocation independent of the criminal outcome. Reid has handled numerous DUI matters at both the misdemeanor and felony level and has successfully challenged cases at trial and at DMV hearings across the Denver metro area, including Arapahoe County.
What does it cost to hire a felony defense attorney in Arapahoe County?
Attorney fees for felony defense vary based on the complexity of the charge, the anticipated length of the case, whether it is likely to go to trial, and the amount of discovery involved. The right question is not only what representation costs, but what the consequences of a conviction would cost over the long term in fines, incarceration, lost employment, and licensing restrictions. A consultation with DeChant Law will give you a clearer picture of what your specific case involves and what representation would look like.
Talk to DeChant Law About Your Arapahoe County Felony Case
A felony prosecution puts real things at stake: freedom, employment, housing, and the ability to move forward. The decisions made in the first weeks of a case, before a preliminary hearing, before motions are due, before prosecutors solidify their position, often shape everything that comes after. Reid DeChant works with clients charged with serious offenses in Arapahoe County and across the Denver metro area, bringing the same preparation and courtroom commitment to every case. If you are facing a felony charge in Arapahoe County, contact DeChant Law to discuss your case and understand your options with an Arapahoe County felony attorney who will be direct with you about where things stand.
