Denver Criminal Defense Lawyer

A criminal charge in Denver does not just put you in front of a judge. It follows you into background checks, professional licensing reviews, immigration proceedings, and custody disputes. Attorney Reid DeChant built his practice around that reality. As a Denver criminal defense lawyer who has worked both as a public defender across Denver, Adams, and Broomfield counties and in private practice, he has seen what happens when someone walks into court without a lawyer who genuinely understands the local system, and he has seen what changes when they do.

What Colorado Prosecutors Are Actually Working With

Defense work starts with understanding what the other side has. In a DUI case, that typically means a police report, body camera footage, chemical test results, and field sobriety data. In a domestic violence case, it often means a 911 recording, witness statements, and whatever the responding officer documented before you said a word. In a drug possession case, it can hinge on whether the stop that led to the search was constitutionally valid in the first place.

Colorado prosecutors across Denver, Jefferson, Arapahoe, Douglas, and Adams counties vary in how aggressively they pursue different charge types. Denver County tends to move quickly on domestic violence cases because of mandatory arrest policies. Jefferson County is known for thorough DUI prosecution. Adams County has its own patterns in how assault cases get charged and resolved. Knowing how a particular DA’s office approaches a case type shapes how defense strategy gets built from day one.

Reid’s time as a public defender gave him something that private practice alone cannot replicate: repeated, daily exposure to how charging decisions get made, what evidence prosecutors rely on most heavily, and where cases fall apart before they ever reach a courtroom. That foundation informs every case at DeChant Law.

How Denver Charges Get Reduced or Dismissed, and Why That Starts Early

People sometimes assume the most important moment in a criminal case is the trial. That is not always true. Many cases turn on what happens in the weeks and months before trial: whether a motion to suppress evidence is filed and won, whether an alternative resolution is negotiated, whether a diversion program is identified early enough to qualify.

In Colorado, motions to suppress are particularly significant in DUI and drug cases. If law enforcement stopped a vehicle without reasonable suspicion, or administered an Express Consent advisement improperly, the evidence gathered from that stop may be excludable. DeChant Law has successfully challenged Express Consent proceedings resulting in DMV license revocation actions being dismissed, in multiple separate cases across different Colorado counties.

Deferred judgments, diversion programs, and plea arrangements are also live possibilities in many cases, but they require someone who knows the local court’s practices and can accurately evaluate whether a given offer is reasonable or whether it leaves something on the table. Reid approaches these decisions by explaining clearly what the options mean in practice, including what a conviction on any particular charge would show on a background check and how it might affect a professional license, a security clearance, or an immigration status.

For DUI specifically, Colorado law creates a parallel track that often surprises people: the criminal case in court and a separate DMV Express Consent proceeding that can revoke driving privileges independently. Missing a deadline in the DMV process, or failing to request a hearing at all, can result in a license suspension regardless of what happens criminally. That is the kind of procedural pitfall that costs people dearly when they try to handle things without counsel.

The Charges DeChant Law Handles Across the Denver Metro

DeChant Law focuses on criminal defense throughout the Denver metro area. DUI and DWAI defense, including cases involving alcohol, drugs, and blood test disputes, represents a significant portion of the work. Colorado law sets the per se limit at 0.08% BAC for DUI and creates a separate DWAI category starting at 0.05%, and for drivers under 21, a BAC as low as 0.02% triggers an underage DUI charge. These thresholds matter, but so does the method used to measure them, and challenges to the accuracy of breath or blood testing have succeeded in a number of cases.

Domestic violence charges are handled with particular care because the consequences extend beyond the criminal case. A domestic violence conviction or even a deferred sentence can trigger federal firearms restrictions, affect family court proceedings, and result in mandatory treatment programs. The mandatory arrest policy in Colorado means charges often get filed even when the alleged victim does not want to pursue the matter. Reid has successfully defended domestic violence allegations, including cases that were dismissed at trial after the DA declined to proceed.

Beyond DUI and domestic violence, the firm’s regular caseload includes assault, drug crimes, theft, burglary, robbery, fraud and white collar offenses, gun and weapons charges, sex offenses, and violent crimes ranging up to murder. The firm also handles traffic offenses, misdemeanors, felonies, and probation violations. For commercial drivers, a DUI conviction or even some alcohol-related traffic violations can end a career. For licensed professionals, including physicians and nurses, pilots, and CDL holders, a criminal charge triggers a separate licensing review that moves on its own timeline. Reid has worked through those downstream consequences with clients in a range of professional situations.

When prior convictions need to be revisited, the firm also handles criminal appeals and post-conviction motions under Rule 35(c) for clients whose previous representation fell short of what the law requires.

Record Sealing in Colorado and Why It Matters After a Case Ends

A dismissed case does not automatically disappear from the record. In Colorado, arrests, charges, and even some convictions remain accessible in background checks until a sealing order is entered by a court. Colorado’s record sealing statutes have expanded in recent years, making more people eligible than before, including some who were convicted of low-level offenses. For cases that qualify for full expungement, the record is treated as if the offense never occurred.

DeChant Law evaluates sealing eligibility as part of the broader conversation about a case, both for current clients and for people who resolved their case years ago and are now being held back by what shows up in a search. The process involves filing a petition, notifying the relevant agency, and in some cases attending a hearing. When it works, a sealed record no longer appears in most background checks, which reopens doors in employment, housing, and professional licensing that the original charge had closed.

Questions Reid Hears from People Facing Charges in Denver

What happens at my first court appearance in Denver?

The first appearance, called an advisement, is typically short. The judge informs you of the charges, advises you of your rights, and sets conditions of release if any apply. In domestic violence cases, a mandatory protection order is often entered at this stage. You do not enter a plea at advisement. That comes later at arraignment. The purpose of this hearing is not to resolve the case; it is to get it officially started. Having counsel at or before this stage matters because conditions set early, including restrictions on contact or travel, can affect your life significantly before the case is resolved. If bail is an issue, a bail and bond lawyer can argue for terms that allow you to return home while the case proceeds.

Can I refuse a breath or blood test in Colorado?

You can, but there are consequences. Colorado’s Express Consent law means that by driving on Colorado roads, you have already implicitly agreed to submit to testing if law enforcement has probable cause to request it. Refusal triggers an automatic license revocation process through the DMV that runs parallel to any criminal case, and refusal can be used as evidence against you in court. Whether to take a test in the moment involves a real tradeoff that depends on circumstances, but the window to challenge what happens afterward is narrow, which is why contacting a defense lawyer immediately after an arrest matters.

How does a domestic violence designation affect a criminal case?

Domestic violence is a sentence enhancer in Colorado, not a standalone crime. It gets attached to underlying charges like assault or harassment when the alleged victim is in an intimate relationship with the defendant. The designation triggers specific consequences beyond the underlying charge: mandatory treatment programs, federal firearms restrictions, and a mandatory protection order. It also signals to prosecutors that certain plea options are off the table because many domestic violence dispositions require a conviction rather than a deferred sentence.

What is the difference between a DUI and a DWAI under Colorado law?

DUI requires proof that the driver’s ability to operate the vehicle was substantially impaired, or a BAC at or above 0.08%. DWAI applies when a driver’s ability was impaired even slightly, with a BAC between 0.05% and 0.079%. DWAI carries lighter penalties than DUI on a first offense, but it is still a criminal conviction that appears on a record. Both charges can be challenged on the basis of how the stop occurred, how field sobriety tests were administered, and the reliability of the chemical test result.

Does it matter which county my case is in?

It matters more than most people realize. Each county’s DA office has its own charging policies and tendencies. Courts in Arapahoe County operate differently than courts in Jefferson County or Denver County. Judges in the same district can vary significantly in how they handle plea negotiations, sentencing, and motions. Someone who practices regularly across the Denver metro has a working sense of those differences. Someone who does not is navigating unfamiliar territory at your expense.

What if my case goes to trial?

Reid has tried cases to verdict across multiple charge types, including DUI, assault, domestic violence, and sex offense registration. Not every case should go to trial, and not every case should settle. The decision depends on the evidence, the offer on the table, and what a conviction would actually mean in your specific circumstances. When trial is the right path, it requires someone who understands how to tell a client’s story to a jury, something Reid studied directly through the Trial Lawyers College.

Can I get my record sealed if I was convicted?

It depends on the offense and how much time has passed. Colorado allows sealing of some convictions, including certain petty offenses, misdemeanors, and drug offenses, after a waiting period and provided no subsequent convictions have occurred. Arrests that did not result in a conviction are generally sealable more broadly. An evaluation of your specific record, the charges involved, and the timeline is the starting point for any sealing conversation.

Talk to a Denver Criminal Defense Attorney Before You Do Anything Else

Every decision you make after an arrest, from what you say to officers to whether you show up for a DMV hearing, has consequences that are difficult to undo. Working with a Denver criminal defense attorney from the beginning means those decisions get made with a full picture of what is at stake. DeChant Law represents clients across the metro in cases ranging from first-offense DUI to serious felonies, and Reid approaches each one the way he did as a public defender: with genuine care for the person behind the charge, and tenacity about the outcome. If you have been charged with a crime in Denver or the surrounding counties, reach out to DeChant Law to talk through where things stand.