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Wolf Law is your primary resource for Colorado domestic abuse information and legal representation.

Colorado domestic abuse cases move quickly in our court systems; they’re pushed through as “fast-track” procedures, and without legal guidance, it’s common for victims and offenders alike to feel misrepresented or kept in the dark.

What you don’t know about Colorado’s domestic violence laws can hurt you. Call 720-479-8574 for a free consultation with a knowledgeable Denver domestic violence attorney.

Aggressive Representation for Colorado Offenders and Victims

Domestic violence cases have far-reaching implications for victims and offenders:

  • Victims may not feel represented by the police or district attorney in a domestic violence case, especially if the victim doesn’t decide to file charges against the offender. Victims deserve to have their voice heard.
  • Offenders may not know enough about Colorado’s domestic violence laws to understand the gravity of these offenses. Even minor offenses carry lifelong consequences.

This is why it’s important for alleged offenders, as well as victims, to understand the nature and implications of domestic violence in Colorado.

Wolf Law has managed hundreds of domestic abuse cases—it’s the area of law where we got started. And while we can’t guarantee a particular outcome for a case, we strive to ensure every client gets the help they need, the representation they deserve, and a fair trial.

Call 720-479-8574 for a free consultation with a Denver domestic violence lawyer.

Colorado Domestic Violence Laws

Domestic violence cases are unique in our legal system. Colorado does not have a specific statute detailing domestic violence the same way our criminal code covers physical assault.

Because of this, domestic violence is not considered a standalone offense and is instead tacked on to other criminal charges. In legal terms, this is called a “sentence enhancer” or an “aggravator.”

According to Colorado revised statutes, “domestic violence means an act or threatened act of violence upon a person with whom the actor is or has been involved in an intimate relationship…”

The criminal code also includes acts of violence against the property; municipal ordinance violations against a person, or his or her property (including animals); and especially when the property is used to coerce, control, punish, intimidate, or exact revenge against a person whom the offender has been involved with intimately.

Colorado defines “intimate relationship” in the following way:

“… a relationship between spouses, former spouses, past or present unmarried couples, or persons who are both the parents of the same child regardless of whether the persons have been married or have lived together at any time.”

Understanding how Colorado defines domestic violence terms will help offenders and victims know what steps to take following a domestic incident.

domestic violence lawyer in Denver, Colorado

Immediate Arrests in Domestic Violence Cases

Colorado enforces a mandatory arrest law in domestic violence cases. This means if the police get called to a residence and they determine probable cause, someone is going to jail.

A minor domestic incident can quickly escalate to serious domestic abuse charges.

For example, if a harassment charge is alleged by a victim, and it’s found the victim and offender were involved in an intimate relationship (past or present), law enforcement is required to make an immediate arrest to ensure the continued safety of the alleger, as well as the safety of other occupants in a home.

There are no “take backs” with regards to domestic violence allegations.

Once a domestic violence incident has been charged there’s no avoiding certain immediate, legal repercussions: 

  • Law enforcement must arrest an offender if they feel there is probable cause that a confrontation involved domestic violence.
  • Offenders will be taken to jail and may be required to spend the night there; offenders remain in jail until a judge can set a bond amount.
  • A domestic violence case can’t be dismissed if the accuser doesn’t want to press charges; instead, the prosecuting agency must declare to the court under oath that he or she can’t prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.

If you’ve been involved in a domestic abuse incident and you’re not sure what to do, call Wolf Law at 720-479-8574.

Facts About Domestic Violence in Colorado

Accusations of domestic violence are not rare in Colorado. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), the frequency and severity of domestic abuse can vary dramatically.

Here are some quick facts every Colorado resident should know:

  • According to the 2024 comprehensive report from the Colorado Domestic Violence
  • Fatality Review Board, 58 individuals lost their lives due to domestic violence incidents in Colorado. This marks a decrease from the previous year’s record high of 94 fatalities in 2022.
  • Three of the 47 cases that resulted in 58 domestic violence fatalities in 2023 involved at least one teenager with perpetrators as young as 15 and one victim as young as 14.
  • A similar 2023 report points out that the majority of domestic violence victims are female, while perpetrators are predominantly male.
  • Firearms continue to be the most common cause of death in domestic violence fatalities.
  • recent 2024 report indicates that domestic violence cases are increasing in Denver and are likely underreported, with approximately 1,600 cases going unreported since 2015.
  • More than 300,000 people in Colorado are stalked during their lifetime.
  • 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men in the U.S. have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner.
  • The presence of a gun in the home during a domestic violence incident increases the risk of homicide by at least 500%.
  • Nearly 80% of Colorado domestic abuse programs lack important resources to serve victims and their families.

Share these facts about domestic violence with friends and family, and learn to recognize common signs of domestic abuse.

Common signs of domestic violence include: 

  • Bruising or injuries that may have been caused by choking, punching, or being thrown; black eyes and sprained wrists are common injuries suffered by victims
  • Attempting to hide injuries with clothing or makeup
  • Making excuses for the cause of injuries; repeatedly blaming injuries on clumsy behavior
  • Having few friends or purposefully avoiding social interactions with coworkers or family
  • Having to ask for permission to meet or talk with other people
  • Having little or no money, no credit cards, and/or limited access to a car

Most relationships go through rough patches, and even happy couples argue now and then. Domestic violence is not a disagreement. Domestic violence is a pattern of abuse used to control the behavior of another.

Signs of domestic abuse can be shadowy, especially domestic abuse against men. If you or a loved one needs help getting out of an abusive relationship, contact the Colorado Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV) for relief.

CCADV works with a network of advocacy programs throughout Colorado to aid appropriate and comprehensive responses to family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence. If you’re a victim of domestic abuse, the next call you should make is to Wolf Law. 

If you’ve been charged with domestic violence, you need Wolf Law. If convicted of domestic violence, significant federally mandated restrictions and provisions related to gun ownership, security clearances, government employment, military service, and even deportation will follow.

If you have any questions related to domestic abuse, we want to hear from you.

Call Wolf Law at 720-479-8574 for a free, confidential consultation with a Denver domestic violence lawyer or contact us online.

At Wolf Law we handle a lot of domestic violence cases; they are some of the most prevalent in our system. People get charged with domestic violence all the time, and they often need to have an attorney because domestic violence can be very different from most other cases. Some of the ways they’re different is you need to understand that if you are being investigated for, or charged with a misdemeanor or felony domestic violence case, you will be required to spend a night in jail. That’s because the law says that your bond has to be set by a judge in person. So, there are a lot of attorneys out there that tell people they don’t have to go to jail, or they’ll make it so they don’t have to go to jail; they’re wrong! They don’t know what they are talking about. You need to be prepared for that, your attorney needs to be able to help you prepare for that. Another way domestic violence cases are different is that you can’t just expect that if your wife, girlfriend or even a former partner, wants this case dismissed and says it didn’t happen, that the case is going to go away. The law has taken that decision out of their hands. They’ve put it in the hands of the prosecutor, only the prosecutor whether it is a city attorney, district attorney, or any other type of prosecuting agency; they are the only ones that can dismiss a case. They have to be able to stand up in court, under oath and tell a judge that they cannot prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt that is the only way for a case to be dismissed. Another large, large difference in domestic violence cases is that unlike any other case, you can have your prior criminal episodes, prior charges, prior dismissed cases or even allegations when you were never charged or put into the court system can be brought in and used against you. Also, and important to remember is that any domestic violence conviction will trigger the Lautenberg Amendment, a federal law stating that you can never possess a firearm ever again. Your gun rights can be implicated for the rest of your life on a domestic violence conviction. You need to speak with an attorney prior to making any decisions on these cases, because the consequences can be felt for the rest of your life. The reason that I handle so many domestic violence cases is that is where my career started. When I was a public defender at the very beginning of my career the court room I worked in handled all domestic violence cases, all day. Every type of charge you can imagine under the domestic violence statutes are cases I started my career handling. I can’t guarantee an outcome for any of my future clients, but what I can tell you is, is that with my experience in domestic violence, if there is a way out I will find it.

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Unfortunately, I have required an attorney more than a few times. That said, Jeff is the most intelligent, competent, compassionate, committed, aggressive representation to be found, without a doubt. Facing a felony DUI, no proof of insurance, careless driving and cruelty to animals (my dog gets more love than most people in the world), followed by two DURs (driving under revocation), I pretty much felt I was screwed. After hiring and firing two attorneys, I called Jeff. Note: Do your research before you waste money, and do whatever it takes to get the money for proper representation. I met with Jeff based on his peer reviews, client reviews, education and experience; all of them positive and 100 percent accurate. Twenty minutes into the consultation, all my built-up stress and anxiety had been significantly reduced. I thought my driving privileges were over for a while. Jeff showed me what I needed to do to get a restricted license, which I was able to do within a few days. Following that he made two DURs, jail time offenses, turn into one zero-point traffic violation. Then, one year to the date of my run-in with the law, Jeff and I went to trial. The no insurance charge was dropped. I was insured. The cruelty to animals charge was dropped after the first day of trial. On the second day, I was found not guilty of DUI, DWAI and careless driving. The time, effort and determination Jeff put in was clear, and his strategies and trial skills were clearly superb. No better counsel can be found in my opinion.

— Patrick

Very pleased with service

Ms. Monahan was professional, answered all my questions, and ended up achieving the desired outcome. I highly recommend her personally and Wolf Law.

— R.N.

Complete Satisfaction

Jeff took on 2 cases for me with complete success. He is extremely sharp and confident. Jeff really gets to know his clients and is very sympathetic to their needs.
The relationships he has with prosecutors and the judges was pure respect. When he spoke he had the ears of the courtroom. He speaks very eloquent and exudes confidence that translates into the result I was looking for, “Case Dismissed.”

I highly recommend his services. If you are need of his services you will get more than what you pay for.

— Steven L.

Colleen Kelley is the Best

I have hired Colleen previously and she did wonders including case dismissal. The flat rate fee is such a wonderful carefree situation. I wouldn’t trust anyone else when it comes to felony legal matters.

— Dustin

Best Possible Outcome Thanks to Wolf Law

When I walked into the office I was at a low point I can’t describe. When I talked to Jeffrey Wolf I wanted to hear, “Don’t worry, you’re going to be fine.” Instead I was told the honest truth: I was in serious trouble, but he would fight like crazy to get me the best possible outcome. After thinking about that I realized it was far better to hear the truth rather than a lawyer trying to get my business, and in the end I got exactly what Jeff said: Good advice, an excellent professional defense, and I believe the best possible outcome I could have wanted. I highly recommend Wolf Law.

— David R.

Professional and Knowledgeable

I cannot be happier with Jeffrey Wolf’s representation in my court case. He was very direct, no time wasted. Very professional, and above all very knowledgeable and qualified as an attorney. I was facing felony charges that were unfounded and Mr. Wolf saw the truth immediately, believed in me despite the allegations and got all charges dismissed. He always kept me informed and current with his progress, and offered very sound advice. I also would consider him a friend as well. I highly recommend Mr. Wolf to anyone needing serious legal counsel.

— Bill F.

Truly There for You

Jeff is the best attorney my husband and I have used. He actually cared about what was best for my family. He actually fought for my husband and was on his side. He listened to my husband and made us feel like he was on our side and we could trust him with my husband’s future. I suggest to anyone looking for an attorney to put your trust in Jeff, he got us the best deal ever.

— Raena

First Rate Legal Representation

If one were to Google all the attributes that you want in legal representation, Wolf Law would check off each box. His entire staff is helpful and professional. As for Mr. Wolf himself, his expertise and straight-talk are exactly what you want and need in an attorney. The outcome of my case matched my most optimistic goal. I thoroughly endorse Wolf Law.

— Trenton

Understanding, Patient, Helpful

Working with Jeff was the best choice I could have made for my circumstances. Not only did he take his time in hearing my side but also those around me. This allowed me to take care of myself as I moved through the legal process and provide the best results possible. Thank You for all the Help Jeff!!

— Anonymous

Professional and Honest

I was worried about looking for a lawyer because I have never done so before, but Jeff Wolf made it super easy for me and I couldn’t have been more happy with his services. He called me anytime something happened with my case or needed anything from me. He got me out of a 10 day jail sentence which really helped me since I started school this week. Honestly it was nothing but a professional and honest experience.

— Robert A.