Denver Habitual Traffic Offender (HTO) Lawyer

If you’re facing a habitual traffic offender (HTO) designation in Colorado, you’re also facing the possibility of losing your driver’s license for at least five years.

A mature female law enforcement officer stands by a vehicle she has stopped and takes the driver's license from a middle aged man — Multiple, major traffic violations can lead to HTO status in Colorado.

The Denver criminal defense attorneys at Wolf Law have helped many clients who were declared habitual traffic offenders or who were at risk for the HTO designation. Our lawyers understand the complex rules regarding HTO status, and we can help you determine the best solution for your unique circumstances.

Call Wolf Law today at 720-479-8574 for a free consultation or contact us online to tell us your story now.

How Does a Driver Become a Habitual Traffic Offender?

There are multiple situations that may lead a Colorado driver to be considered a habitual traffic offender:

A driver is convicted of at least three major traffic violations within a seven-year period.
A driver accumulates 10 or more traffic violation convictions within a five-year period, with each violation resulting in a DMV point assessment of four or more points.
A driver is convicted of at least 18 traffic convictions within a five-year period, with each violation resulting in a DMV point assessment of three or fewer points.

When it comes to the HTO designation in Colorado, traffic convictions are specific to major offenses, which include but are not limited to:

Driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs (DUI)
DUI per se, which applies when the driver didn’t commit a traffic violation but had a blood-alcohol content of .08 or higher
Driving while ability impaired (DWAI)
Reckless driving
Driving with a denied, suspended or revoked license
Vehicular assault, manslaughter or homicide
Failure to perform duties required by law following a traffic accident that involves injuries or death, such as not reporting the crash to law enforcement or fleeing the scene of the crash

In some cases, traffic violations acquired in other states may apply to a Colorado driver’s total traffic convictions.

HTO Penalties in Colorado

A driver designated as a habitual traffic offender in Colorado will lose his or her license for a minimum of five years. Depending on the traffic violations in question, additional criminal penalties including fines and jail time may also apply.

Policeman stops woman driver to give her a traffic ticket for speeding. — An HTO designation in Colorado can have a driver losing his or her license for at least five years.

A habitual traffic offender who is convicted of driving with a suspended or revoked license can face up to 18 months in jail and/or a fine of up to $5,000.

In addition to the corresponding penalties, an HTO designation and the loss of your driver’s license can have significant impacts on your daily routine. A revoked driver’s license can affect your ability to travel for work, or take your kids to school or extracurricular activities; it can make grocery shopping a challenge and limit your ability to respond to emergency situations.

Unfortunately, many people don’t have a detailed understanding of their traffic record and license points status, or of Colorado’s HTO rules. This leads to many drivers unknowingly becoming habitual traffic offenders.

What is Driving After Revocation Prohibited (DARP)?

An HTO designation can lead to further and more severe penalties for future violations, such as driving after revocation prohibited (DARP).

DARP is a Class 1 misdemeanor punishable by mandatory jail time ranging from six to 18 months in jail and fines up to $5,000. A DARP conviction may also be accompanied by community service and an additional driver’s license restraint of five years or longer.

A DARP violation occurs when a driver who has already been deemed a habitual traffic offender commits subsequent offenses such as:

DUI
DUI per se
DWAI
Reckless driving
Fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement

Probation is not available to individuals facing a DARP violation, though in some cases community service may be assigned to suspend all or a portion of the jail sentence and/or fine. In the case of aggravating factors, a DARP offense may increase to a Class 6 felony, the penalties for which include a mandatory jail sentence of at least 60 days.

Get the HTO Defense You Need and Deserve

A law book with a gavel - Criminal law — The Denver criminal defense attorneys at Wolf Law have extensive experience in traffic cases, including those involving HTO designations and DARP violations.

If you’re facing an HTO designation or DARP charges in Colorado, one of the most important steps you can take to protect your rights and your driving privileges is to contact a knowledgeable criminal defense lawyer.

The Denver criminal defense attorneys at Wolf Law have extensive experience in traffic cases, including those related to DUI/DWAI, driving with a suspended license, HTO status, and DARP violations. Our lawyers offer free, no-obligation consultations to help you understand your options, and we fight hard to achieve the best possible outcome for you.

If you are confronted with possible HTO status or you were recently designated a habitual traffic offender, please call Wolf Law today at 720-479-8574 or contact us online to arrange your complimentary consultation.

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Complete Professionals

This law firm is the true example of professionalism. They are very responsive, very up front and extremely respectful. Colleen is an amazing attorney who truly enjoys what she does. I would recommend Colleen to anyone. She is honest, hard working, no BS, and gets the job done. She knows what to say and when to say it. She definitely went above and beyond for me. I would 100 percent use her again without a doubt.

— Zach

The Best!

Jeff is very professional, knowledgeable, and as good of a lawyer as there is. I had a restraining order full of false allegations, and Jeff got everything dismissed. Even though it was a restraining order, Jeff treated my case as important as any other case. Thanks, Jeff!

— Anonymous

Colleen Kelley, Esq.

Wolf Law Firm, LLC was not recommend to me by anyone, but as it turned out, was the best choice I could have made!

While searching for a lawyer for my two cases, a DUI and a trespassing felony, an understatement to say how scared I was! Wolf Law Firm caught my eye and, truthfully, it was because their firm provided a free consultation, which is invaluable in and of itself. Colleen Kelley is the attorney that picked-up the phone that day. After talking with her, I made the choice to hire her as my attorney.

We got off to a rocky start, mainly because of my inability to realize just how severe my situation was. Then, one day, Colleen just laid it on the line for me, my obvious unwillingness to face what was happening and the fact I wasn’t facing my drinking issues. It was a conversation that she was bold enough to have with me. Thanking her a million times over isn’t enough for the fortitude she had that day, not only as my attorney, but as a person genuinely concerned.

OUR outcome was more than phenomenal thanks to her diligence! I am, and will always remain, emotionally indebted to Colleen for her courage, kindness and overall, being an awesome attorney.

The day I came across Wolf Law Firm was the day, as it turned out, my life has a new beginning.

— Shelly O'Hayre

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.

Jeffrey Wolf is Everything You Could Hope for in a Defense Attorney

When a tragic situation affected our family, we immediately contacted Jeffery Wolf. We were comforted knowing that we had a knowledgeable, communicative and compassionate attorney on our side. He often answered our calls after-hours and always stayed with us after court appearances to answer all our questions. During busy times, he would be sure to send a quick note letting us know when he would get back to us and never left us wondering if he had received our inquiries. Beyond being confident that we had the best representation possible, we also knew that Jeffery really cared about us and in fact, he became an honorary member of our family. He was open and honest with us and the DA in order to come up with the best, most fair agreement. We were never left wondering what was going on or what was going to happen. We knew that Jeffery would fight for us as hard and for as long as it took. It felt wonderful knowing that we had Jeffery in our corner. Hopefully we will never need his services again, but if we do, he will be our first call. We highly recommend Jeffery Wolf for anyone who needs a lawyer and wants the best.

— Jenni DeWitt Walker

One of the Best!

Absolutely the best!! Jeff and the team at Wolf Law successfully navigated me through one of the toughest and most stressful events of my life. From the 1st call to the last email, Jeff answered my questions, explained the laws and court procedures in terminology I could understand and kept me informed from start to finish. One of the best, case dismissed!!

— Ashlee Echols

Highly Professional

Jeffrey Wolf handled my traffic violation in a highly professional manner, giving it the same consideration and time as a more challenging case, during a very stressful time in my life. As soon as the accident happened, he was there to offer advice and help. He went to court for me, so I would not have to take time off of work to go. His care and concern for my well-being was top-notch. Thank you so much, Jeff!

— Carol P.

A Great Lawyer

Colleen was a great lawyer and made everything easily understandable.

— Juan

Jeff Wolf was Well Worth the Investment

When you get charged with a crime it is tough to deal with, mostly because you are embarrassed and disappointed with yourself for what you have done. I was charged with theft and was very worried about what type of impact that would have on my business professional career when applying for jobs. I contacted a few lawyers but knew that Jeff was the right direction to take. He made me feel more at ease knowing that people make mistakes and that this would not effect my whole life. He was very helpful and quick to respond to any questions or concerns that I had.

During my time with Jeff he made me feel very comfortable and I knew going into everything what to expect, what to say, and how to present myself. Whether you hire a lawyer or not is your own decision. But to me what Jeff was able to provide was well worth it. I literally told him my story, how I felt and what type of outcome I was looking for on the first day. Besides showing up with him to court he did everything else and took care of everything. We were sentenced to the verdict that we were looking for and now I can move forward and put this case behind me. Thanks for all your help Jeff it was much appreciated.

— Nick

Look No Further – Jeff is the Best

I was falsely accused of a crime with serious consequences, was very depressed and got even more depressed and frustrated as I was interviewing attorneys to defend me. They had a broad spectrum of approaches and some were ready to head to trial immediately as it seemed they were primarily interested in battles and my money rather than my best interests. The first one was extremely arrogant and rushed to get me off the phone. My court appearance date was approaching and I was ready to give up when I came across Jeffrey’s website. I read he had once also been falsely accused which motivated him to become an attorney. After further reading, his philosophy appealed to me so I set up a free session.

I met with Jeffrey and told him what happened. He explained the alleged crime and potential consequences and then spoke about himself and his approach. I spent more time than the “free time” allocated but was never rushed. He listened, believed me and was really genuine as I had not witnessed before with other attorneys.

By the time we finished talking, I felt respected and not disrespected as I found out with this accusation, you are guilty until proven innocent from most everyone’s perspective. I hired Jeff on the spot and when I left his office, I felt this big burden lifted off my shoulders as I knew I could trust him to do his best for me. I was finally able to sleep that night and after several weeks able to put this out of my mind as being the constant main focus.

If you are seeking a very knowledgeable, trustworthy, caring, honest and respectful attorney, Jeffrey fits the bill. He is a great listener and never rushed me even with a flat fee rate. He has a good rapport with the Court who also respectfully listens to him. He is well spoken in the courtroom. I have seen him in several cases reaching very good settlements for his clients. On my case, he provided me his opinion with his rationale as to how I should proceed but allowed me to then make a decision as to go to trial or take a plea bargain. He would fully support my decision either way. Jeff is very good in providing the pros and cons, risks, and potential scenarios that may play out. My case will be dismissed shortly and record sealed as a result of Jeff’s hard work, negotiations, poking holes in the accuser’s story pre-trial, and dedication to my satisfactory case resolution. If you want the best, look no further as you have found him. Thank you Jeff!

— David C.