Being charged with a criminal offense could have serious consequences. If you have been convicted of a crime, you could face incarceration, expensive fines, and other penalties. If you’re just facing charges, you can lose your job, end up on time-consuming and expensive pretrial supervision, and have to explain to friends and family one of the worst moments of your life. Rather than handling the legal aspects of your case on your own, let a mountain communities criminal lawyer be your advocate and fight on your behalf.
There are many actions a knowledgeable criminal lawyer could take to help your case, such as preparing a technical legal defense, gathering evidence, or filing constitutional motions to get your case dropped. Whether you are facing criminal charges for a felony, misdemeanor, petty offense, traffic ticket, or even municipal ordinance violation, a seasoned attorney could protect your rights while fighting to attain the best outcome possible in your case. Our team at Colorado Lawyer Team are here to help you in and out of the courtroom.
Common Types of Criminal Offenses
The different types of misdemeanor and felony criminal offenses prohibited within mountain communities are outlined in Title 18 of the Colorado criminal code. Some of the general categories of criminal offenses include:
Other types of criminal offenses outlined in Title 18 of the Colorado criminal code include offenses relating to the making, financing or collecting of loans, and inchoate offenses, such as attempt, conspiracy, and solicitation to commit a crime (even if the criminal act isn’t actually completed). A diligent mountain communities criminal attorney could answer questions about the Colorado criminal code and how to protect your rights.
Penalties for Misdemeanor Offenses Within the Mountain Communities
Misdemeanor offenses are divided into three classes. The Colorado criminal code identifies both a minimum and maximum sentence for each misdemeanor class.
The penalties for Class 1 misdemeanor offenses is 6 to 18 months in jail, a $500 to $5,000 or both.
The penalties for Class 2 misdemeanors is 3 to 12 months in jail or a $250 to $1,000 fine.
The penalty for Class 3 misdemeanors is a $50 fine, while the maximum penalty is six months in jail and a $750 fine.
The Consequences for Felony Offenses
Felony offenses are divided into six classes with different penalties prescribed for each felony class. The penalties associated with each felony class are as follows:
- Class 1 Felonies — Life in prison or the death penalty
- Class 2 Felonies — 8-24 years in prison
- Class 3 Felonies — 4-12 years in prison
- Class 4 Felonies — 2-6 years in prison
- Class 5 Felonies — 1-3 years in prison
- Class 6 Felonies — 1 year to 18 months in prison
Along with a period of incarceration, a fine could also be imposed for each class of felony offenses. Further, more severe penalties could be imposed if the convicted individual is a habitual offender with prior felony convictions or if the crime involved violence, deadly weapons, an at-risk victim, or any number of other “sentence enhancers.” A skilled criminal lawyer within the mountain communities could build a defense to help you avoid the penalties of a conviction, reduce the sentencing range you are facing, or even get sentence enhancers dropped.
