Grand County Assault Defense Attorney

Colorado assault law covers a wide range of offenses involving unlawful injury to another person. Whether charged as misdemeanor or felony, an arrest for assault carries the threat of serious jail time and other criminal penalties.

Grand County allows for three ways to charge assault, depending on the circumstances:

First-degree assault (18-3-202 C.R.S.): Intentionally causing serious injury with a deadly weapon. Class 3 felony:

• 10 – 32 years in Colorado State Prison, and/or
• $3,000 – $750,000

Second-degree assault (18-3-203 C.R.S.): Intentionally causing serious injury without a deadly weapon. Class 4 felony:

• 5 – 16 years, and/or
• $2,000 – $500,000

Third-degree assault (18-3-204 C.R.S.): Negligently causing injury with a deadly weapon. Class 1 misdemeanor:

• Up to 18 months in jail, and/or
• Up to $1,000 in fines

Assault Defense in Grand County

Law enforcement and the prosecution determine which of the three degrees of assault apply based on intent, degree of injury, whether a deadly weapon was used, and whether the defendant was in an official capacity.

• Intention: Whether the defendant intended to cause harm, was reckless resulting in harm, or was criminally negligent, will factor into the degree of assault charges.
• Degree of Injury: Physical pain, illness, or physical or mental impairment is considered less serious than severe injury resulting in fractures, serious burns; risk of death or permanent disfigurement; or substantial risk of organ impairment.
• Weapon Usage: A deadly weapon can be defined as everything from an assault rifle to a frying pan in the eyes of law enforcement. Challenging the circumstances in which the defendant used a weapon can result in a significant reduction of potential criminal penalties.
• Capacity: The defendant's profession plays a role if they were performing their job at the time of the incident. Acting in an official capacity as a police officer, firefighter, EMT/paramedic, court officer, or corrections official may lead to more serious charges.

Our Grand County defense attorneys are experienced and prepared to challenge each of these components, both in and out of the courtroom. Prosecutors often seek more serious charges than can be proven, so your lawyer must be able to recognize when a successful reduction or dismissal is in the client’s best interest, or whether the state is simply backing off due to lack of evidence.

Mitigating factors in a defense case may include:

• Accidental injury
• Self defense
• False accusations
• Mistaken identity

Our experienced Grand County assault defense lawyers represent clients throughout the area, including Fort Collins, Longmont, Loveland, Larimer County, Weld County, Berthoud, Estes Park, Johnstown, Red Feather Lakes, Timnath, Wellington, Windsor, LaPorte, Bellevue, Greeley, Ault, Eaton, Severance, Nunn, Firestone, Dacono, Boulder, Winter Park, Granby, Hot Sulphur Springs, and Fraser. We represent clients in Larimer County, Boulder County, Weld County, Grand County and beyond.

Call Matthew Haltzman at the Haltzman Law Firm today at (970) 692-3440 for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your rights.