Wolf Law is proud to serve Denver and surrounding communities, including Aurora, Lakewood, and the broader Denver Metro area. Obstruction charges in Colorado can arise from situations that might not seem like criminal conduct to the person involved. Asking questions during a police encounter, refusing to move, or intervening in what appears to be an unfair situation can all result in an obstruction charge. If you are facing an obstructing a peace officer charge in Colorado, you need an excellent criminal defense attorney who understands the law and how to challenge these charges effectively.
Wolf Law represents individuals across Colorado with a criminal defense practice focused on preparation, strategy, and strong legal advocacy. Attorneys and Partners Jeff Wolf and Colleen Kelley lead the firm’s defense team, each bringing decades of trial experience, sharp legal analysis, and a shared commitment to protecting their clients’ rights at every stage. Both attorneys are known for their national media presence on Court TV and Law & Crime, and both bring that same rigor and skill to every obstruction defense case they handle in Colorado. Together, they reflect Wolf Law’s philosophy that excellent criminal defense begins with genuine commitment to the people we represent.
Obstruction charges are often misunderstood. Many people charged with obstruction were not trying to help anyone escape justice — they were confused, frightened, or objecting to what they believed was unfair treatment. Understanding the law and your rights is essential, and so is having the right legal team on your side.
What Is Obstructing a Peace Officer Under Colorado Law?
Under Colorado Revised Statutes Section 18-8-104, a person commits obstructing a peace officer if they, by using or threatening to use violence, force, or physical interference or obstacle, knowingly obstruct, impair, or hinder the enforcement of the penal law or the preservation of the peace by a peace officer acting under color of official authority.
Obstructing a peace officer is a class 2 misdemeanor under Colorado’s two-class misdemeanor system. Like resisting arrest, it is frequently charged alongside other offenses, and the combination can significantly affect the overall complexity and stakes of the case. The word knowingly is important — the prosecution must prove that you were aware your conduct would obstruct the officer, not merely that obstruction was an unintended result.
What Are Common Scenarios That Lead to Obstruction Charges?
Obstruction charges arise from a wide range of encounters. Our attorneys regularly handle cases involving:
- Intervening in an arrest: Attempting to physically intervene when an officer arrests another person — even a friend or family member — can be charged as obstruction. The intent behind the intervention and the nature of the physical contact are central to the defense.
- Providing false information: Giving a false name, address, or other information to a peace officer can support an obstruction charge in certain circumstances under Colorado law.
- Refusing lawful orders: Failing to comply with a lawful police order — such as an instruction to leave an area or step back from a scene — when physical interference is involved can result in obstruction charges.
- Third-party interference: Standing between an officer and a suspect, blocking a vehicle, or otherwise physically impeding an officer’s actions are common factual bases for these charges in Denver and Aurora.
How to Know When You Should Contact a Lawyer for Obstruction Charges
You should contact a criminal defense attorney immediately if you have been charged with obstructing a peace officer or if you believe you are under investigation for this offense. Even as a misdemeanor, an obstruction conviction affects your permanent criminal record and can impact employment, professional licensing, and background checks.
Obstruction charges are also commonly used as leverage in cases where the underlying charge is more serious. How you handle the obstruction count — whether that means fighting it, negotiating a reduction, or pursuing other options — can affect your overall legal position significantly. Our attorneys evaluate the full picture from the very first consultation.
Facing obstruction charges in Denver, Aurora, or Lakewood? Call Wolf Law at 720.479.8574 for a free consultation. Our attorneys will evaluate your case and your options right away.
What Are the Defenses to Obstructing a Peace Officer in Colorado?
A charge is not a conviction. Our attorneys examine every aspect of an obstruction case and identify the strongest defenses available:
- No knowing obstruction: The statute requires knowing obstruction. If you did not understand that your conduct was obstructing the officer — because of confusion, noise, the chaotic nature of the scene, or other factors — the knowledge element may be challengeable.
- No physical force or interference: Colorado’s obstruction statute requires the use or threat of violence, force, or physical interference. Purely verbal conduct does not satisfy the statute. Our attorneys assess whether the alleged conduct actually rises to the level the law requires.
- Unlawful police conduct: If the officer was not acting under lawful authority — for example, if the underlying arrest or stop was unlawful — the obstruction charge may not hold. We examine the legality of the officer’s conduct as a foundational matter.
- First Amendment activity: Recording police activity, verbally objecting to police conduct, and observing police encounters are protected activities under Colorado law and the First Amendment. Our attorneys challenge any attempt to criminalize protected expression.
How Obstruction Charges Interact With Other Offenses
Obstruction of a peace officer rarely stands alone. It is commonly charged alongside resisting arrest, assault on a peace officer, interference with police, and the underlying offense that triggered the police encounter. Each additional charge adds complexity and increases the stakes of the case.
Jeff Wolf and Colleen Kelley are both excellent trial attorneys who have spent decades handling complex, multi-charge criminal cases throughout Colorado. Both appear regularly on national platforms including Law & Crime and Court TV — not because they comment from the sidelines, but because they practice criminal law at a high level every day. When your case involves stacked charges at Denver County Court, the Jefferson County Courthouse in Golden, or elsewhere in the Denver Metro area, our attorneys are ready to address every count strategically.
What to Do If You Are Charged With Obstructing a Peace Officer
- Stay calm and exercise your rights: You have the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney. Exercise both. Do not explain, justify, or describe what happened to police without your attorney present.
- Document your recollection: Write down everything you remember about the encounter as soon as possible — where you were, what the officer said, what you did, and what happened in the moments before the charge arose.
- Identify witnesses: If anyone else was present and observed what happened, their account may be essential to your defense. Let your attorney know about potential witnesses immediately.
- Preserve any recordings: If you, a bystander, or a nearby business captured the encounter on video, that footage can be critical. Do not delete anything, and alert your attorney to its existence.
Frequently Asked Questions About Obstruction Charges in Colorado
No. Under Colorado law, recording police in a public place is a protected activity. Obstruction requires physical force or interference, not the act of recording.
Physical intervention in an arrest, even to protect a loved one, can result in obstruction or assault charges. The legality of the underlying arrest and the nature of your conduct are the key factors.
Yes. With strong legal representation, obstruction charges are sometimes dismissed or reduced, particularly when the factual record does not support the legal elements of the offense.
Contact Wolf Law — Fight Your Obstruction Charge Today
If you are facing an obstructing a peace officer charge in Colorado, Wolf Law is ready to help. Our attorneys offer free consultations and will evaluate your case, identify your defenses, and build a strategy from day one. Call 720.479.8574 to speak with our legal team.
Wolf Law represents clients throughout the Denver Metro area with excellent criminal defense focused on protecting rights and securing results. Whether your case is in Denver, Aurora, Lakewood, or anywhere along the Colfax corridor or beyond, our legal team is ready. Call Wolf Law at 720.479.8574 for your free consultation.
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