Denver Domestic Violence Lawyer | Criminal Defense Attorney

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.
A 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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My Case

Jeffrey handle my domestic case with sympathy and understanding. He reviewed all the facts and found that l was actually the victim in his opinion and never should have been put in the position l found myself. He reviewed his findings/opinion with the DA and got my case dismissed. Jeffrey was very thorough, sympathetic and a pleasure to work with. I would highly recommend him.

— Glen

Case commitment

Thank you! Cassandra helped me through every step of the way. She was extremely flexible and answered anything i could ask. She was the biggest and nicest help I could ask for, on top of being resourceful she got my case done earlier than the state said. I would highly recommend Cassandra to any one she was amazing.

— Kyler A Witt

Jeff Wolf Cares About You as a Person

Jeff Wolf is extremely timely, reliable, and efficient. He cares about you as more than just another case, he cares about you as a person. Jeff worked with me on my out-of-state case and went above and beyond to ensure that I received the best possible outcome.

— Anonymous

Jeff Wolf Helped Me Keep My Job

Jeff was a terrific advocate while representing me through my DWAI. He was professional. I am convinced that it was his prior trial experience and effective communication skills that secured a much more desirable sentence than I had expected. I am positive that Jeff’s representation made it so that I could keep my job.

— Matt

Professional & Effective

I worked with Cassandra P. Monahan (Associate Attorney) on more than one legal matter. Her communications were clear and non-judgmental. Transparency in progress and outcomes was above expectations. I am delighted with Cassandra’s and the firms service, created trust throughout the process.

Grateful for the professionalism and effective execution.

— Michael Perkins

Excellent

I had Jeff work on two cases of mine. Very professional and very understanding. Outstanding communication and advice. I would highly recommend Mr. Wolf to anyone seeking legal help.

— Jasen B.

Mr. Wolf Blew My Expectations Out of the Water

After recently facing two relatively serious traffic violations, Mr. Wolf was able to obtain an outcome for my case that far exceeded my expectations. From the initial consultation onward, Jeff was extremely professional, punctual, and confident. Jeff clearly defined our objectives and provided me with some serious peace of mind. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Mr. Wolf’s services to any family member or friend in need and couldn’t be more pleased with his representation!

— Michael

Exceptional Representation

I could not be happier related to the representation I received from Cassandra and her team. Outstanding expectation calibration, more important is her command and understanding of recent precedent setting case law…without that dexterity my case does not get dismissed. Cassandra is available, prepared and has healthy disdain for nonsense from prosecutors and/or judges. If you are in need of tenacious representation – I would highly recommend Cassandra!

— David Reynolds

Wolf Fought Hard and I Owe Him for All He Did

I am writing this letter to show how much I appreciate Mr. Jeff Wolf for representing me in my DUI case. When I first visited Mr. Wolf I had all these questions of what is going to happen in the case and to myself. I did have a prior DUI in another state so this was new to me.

I received my DUI in April and finished my court in September. During this time Mr. Wolf had an open door policy if you wanted to visit or maybe answer any questions that I may have had. His personal attention to my case made me feel at ease at all my court appearances.

Mr. Wolf guided me through all the steps that were taking place around my case and all his advice paid off when the day came for my sentencing. Actually, the judge was impressed with all the steps I was doing to remedy my terrible mistake. Mr. Wolf fought hard for me and I owe him for all that he did for my family and myself. I can honestly say that I have found a gentleman that I would recommend to another or help my family with any issues.

— Brian G.

Good Outcome

Mr. Wolf offered excellent service, fast responses and prompt communication. I was so relieved that he was willing and able to take my case. He and his team are very professional and got me the best possible outcome.

— Brian