Lakewood Domestic Violence Lawyer
A domestic violence charge in Lakewood carries consequences that reach far beyond a courtroom. The moment police are called, Colorado’s mandatory arrest laws take over, and from there, decisions get made quickly, often without much input from the person being charged. At DeChant Law, Lakewood domestic violence lawyer Reid DeChant works with people at exactly that point, when things have moved fast and the path forward is anything but clear.
What Makes Domestic Violence Cases Different in Colorado
Colorado does not treat domestic violence as a standalone charge. Instead, it is a sentence enhancer, meaning it attaches to an underlying charge like assault, harassment, or menacing and changes what follows. A third-degree assault that would ordinarily be a class 1 misdemeanor becomes something with mandatory minimum sentencing requirements, a mandatory protection order, and collateral consequences that touch housing, employment, firearms possession, and immigration status.
Jefferson County, which handles Lakewood cases, prosecutes domestic violence matters through a dedicated unit. That means the people on the other side of your case have handled hundreds of similar situations. They know the patterns, and they know how to build a case even when the alleged victim later recants or expresses reluctance to testify. Colorado law allows prosecutors to proceed without a cooperating witness, using police reports, 911 recordings, body camera footage, and photographs taken at the scene. The case does not stop moving just because the complaining party wants it to.
That reality shapes how defense needs to work. Understanding the evidence early, before the prosecution has had time to build its narrative, is where cases get won or positioned well. Reid has handled domestic violence matters at every level, from harassment charges filed after a heated argument to felony assault and strangulation cases. He has taken these cases to trial and has had prosecutors dismiss them before trial when the evidence was challenged effectively.
The Mandatory Protection Order and What It Actually Affects
When someone is arrested on a domestic violence charge in Lakewood, a mandatory protection order goes into effect before the person has had any opportunity to contest the allegations. For many people, this means they cannot return home. If children are involved, the order can affect contact with them as well. If there are shared vehicles, shared finances, or a shared business, the order can disrupt all of it.
The protection order stays in place throughout the case unless the court modifies it. Violating it, even unintentionally, adds a new criminal charge on top of the underlying case. People sometimes receive a call or a text from the protected party and respond without thinking, not realizing that any contact, even at the protected party’s initiation, can result in an arrest for a protection order violation.
One of the first practical conversations Reid has with clients in these situations is about exactly what the protection order says and what to avoid. That is not legal strategy in the abstract. That is what keeps someone from making a difficult situation significantly worse in the first weeks after an arrest.
How Domestic Violence Charges Get Resolved in Jefferson County
Some domestic violence cases resolve through dismissal when the evidence does not support the charge. That can happen when the underlying allegation is inconsistent, when the physical evidence does not match the account, or when procedural problems exist with how the investigation was handled. Reid has had cases dismissed at trial and has had prosecutors decline to proceed when defense investigation revealed problems with the case early.
Other cases resolve through deferred judgments or plea agreements that allow someone to complete domestic violence treatment and avoid a conviction on their record. Whether a deferred judgment is available depends on the specific charge, the person’s history, and what the prosecutor and court are willing to agree to. In some cases, there is no offer worth taking, and trial is the right answer. In others, a negotiated resolution protects someone from consequences that a conviction would bring.
The Jefferson County courts and prosecutors operate in their own way. What works in Denver County or Arapahoe County may not be the right approach in Lakewood’s local court environment. Reid’s experience in and around the metro area, including in Jefferson County, matters for understanding how these cases typically move and what to expect at each stage.
Felony Domestic Violence Charges in Lakewood
Not all domestic violence charges are misdemeanors. Strangulation is automatically charged as a class 5 felony in Colorado regardless of whether there is a visible injury. Felony menacing, assault causing serious bodily injury, and repeat misdemeanor domestic violence convictions can all result in felony charges. A felony conviction changes things permanently in ways a misdemeanor does not, including loss of the right to own or possess firearms under both Colorado and federal law.
Reid has handled serious felony domestic violence cases, including strangulation and assault charges. He has taken these to trial when the evidence warranted it. The case results listed on the DeChant Law website reflect actual outcomes in these types of cases, including a strangulation domestic violence charge that the prosecutor dismissed at trial and a domestic violence harassment case out of Adams County that was also dismissed at trial. Those outcomes are not guaranteed in any individual case, but they reflect what is possible when the defense is built and argued correctly.
Questions People Actually Ask About Domestic Violence Cases
Can the charges be dropped if the alleged victim does not want to press them?
The alleged victim does not control whether charges proceed. In Colorado, once a domestic violence report is made and an arrest occurs, the decision to prosecute belongs to the district attorney’s office. The complaining party can express reluctance to cooperate, but prosecutors can and do move forward using other evidence. This is one of the most common misconceptions people have when they first come in.
What happens at the first court appearance?
The first appearance is typically an advisement, where the judge informs the defendant of the charges, the protection order goes into effect, and a bond is set. This happens quickly, often within 24 hours of arrest. Reid can appear at this stage and make arguments about bond conditions and the scope of the protection order.
Will this show up on my background check?
An arrest will appear on a background check even without a conviction. If there is a conviction, it will remain on the record. Colorado does allow record sealing for certain domestic violence charges under specific circumstances, but not all domestic violence convictions are eligible. This is something to evaluate carefully before agreeing to any resolution.
Can I own a firearm if I am convicted?
A domestic violence conviction, even a misdemeanor, triggers a federal prohibition on firearm possession under the Lautenberg Amendment. Colorado law imposes its own restrictions as well. For anyone who works in law enforcement, security, or the military, or who simply owns firearms, this consequence is one of the most significant outcomes of a conviction.
What if I was defending myself?
Self-defense is a recognized defense to assault and related charges in Colorado. The challenge in domestic violence cases is that law enforcement often makes an arrest without fully investigating who was the primary aggressor. Defense work in these cases includes gathering evidence about what actually happened, which sometimes contradicts the narrative in the police report.
How long does a domestic violence case take to resolve?
It depends on the charge and how the case proceeds. A misdemeanor case in Jefferson County may resolve in a few months. A felony case that goes to trial can take significantly longer. During that time, the protection order typically remains in place, which is one reason that resolving the case efficiently, while doing it right, matters so much.
What does treatment look like if it is required?
Colorado requires completion of a domestic violence evaluation and treatment program for anyone convicted of a domestic violence offense or who receives a deferred judgment. The treatment is structured and can take a year or more to complete. The evaluation happens first and determines the length and type of treatment required. Courts require proof of progress as part of probation or a deferred judgment.
Talk to a Lakewood Domestic Violence Attorney Before Anything Else Moves
These cases move on their own timeline whether you are ready or not. The protection order goes in, the prosecution starts building its file, and each court date brings the case closer to resolution, on terms set by someone else if you are not actively working the defense. Reid DeChant has handled domestic violence cases from first appearance through jury verdict, in Jefferson County and across the Denver metro area. If you are facing a domestic violence charge in Lakewood, talking to a domestic violence attorney before the next court date is the most useful step you can take right now.