Misdemeanor Charge Lawyers in Colorado

Solid Defense Backed by Years of Experience

Misdemeanor charges are less serious than felony offenses but more serious than petty offenses. Although they are less serious than felonies, a misdemeanor conviction can still result in a major disruption of your life through jail time and hefty fines. In other words, you need to take a misdemeanor charge as seriously as you would any other criminal charge filed against you.

When Colorado law enforcement agents come knocking on your door to make an arrest or press charges, come knocking on the door of Jorgensen, Brownell & Pepin, P.C. We are an elite team of criminal defense attorneys who band together to defend our clients from all sorts of charges, including misdemeanors. Our teamwork approach presents the prosecution an opposition that will keep them on their toes before we knock them off their feet.

How Misdemeanors are Classified

In Colorado, most misdemeanors are classified as Class 1, 2, 3, or unclassified, with Class 1 being the most serious. Drug misdemeanors are classified as either Level 1 or 2. Misdemeanor traffic offenses are classified as Class 1, 2, or unclassified.

You should be able to tell what sort of Class misdemeanor is being filed against you by reviewing the paperwork provided to you by a local law enforcement agency when you were officially charged or arraigned. If you are not sure the Class or what how the Class can affect your case, please reach out to our team and allow us to review your case.

Sentencing for Misdemeanors in Colorado

Sentencing for misdemeanors varies greatly. The common factor, though, is that being sentenced for a misdemeanor will negatively impact your livelihood, often in ways unexpected.

Examples of misdemeanor sentencing guidelines:

• For a class 1 misdemeanor, a defendant may be sentenced up to 18 months in jail (24 months for extraordinary risk crimes such as third-degree assault), a $5,000 fine, or both.
• For a class 3 misdemeanor, a defendant may be sentenced up to 6 months in jail, a $750 fine, or both.
• Misdemeanor drug offenses are classified separately than other misdemeanors, and, depending on the offense, a defendant may be sentenced to up to 18 months in jail, a $5,000 fine, or both.
• The maximum sentence for a Class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense is 12 months in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both.

The factors that can change the details of a misdemeanor sentencing are the details of the alleged crime and your own criminal record. If you have preexisting charges on your record for the same or similar misdemeanors, then your sentencing requirements can become harsher.

Need Tough Defense? Call Jorgensen, Brownell & Pepin, P.C.

Regardless of the type of misdemeanor charged, hiring an experienced and dedicated defense attorney is crucial to minimizing the sentence imposed. Our Colorado misdemeanor defense lawyers can help ensure you receive the best possible outcome to your misdemeanor charge, whether that includes a sentencing reduction, case dismissal, or acquittal. We have more than 30 years of experience in handling even the most complex kinds of cases in Colorado, so you know you can trust your misdemeanor case to our team.