Colorado’s red flag law went into effect on January 1st, 2020, and already in the first month an extreme risk protection order (ERPO) was granted in Denver which resulted in, according to court documents, a man agreeing to surrender two of his handguns for a year. Continue reading
Category: Domestic Violence
Domestic violence charges are very serious and have real and dramatic consequences for the accused. Your side of the story deserves to be told. Learn more about how you can protect your legal rights and your future by reading blog posts in the domestic violence category from our criminal defense law blog. And call the Boulder defense attorneys at Mertes Law for experienced and dedicated help defending yourself against these very serious charges, our lawyers will fight for you.
The Unintended Consequences of Colorado’s Mandatory Arrest Law
Colorado is one of the only states that has a mandatory arrest policy for domestic violence cases. In most states, it is up to the officer investigating a domestic violence call, to evaluate the situation and determine for themselves if it is dangerous enough to require that someone be arrested and removed from the household, in order to prevent further harm. Learn more about Colorado Mandatory Arrest Law below.
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Colorado’s Red Flag Law in Effect as of January 1st
Colorado’s red flag law went into effect on January 1st, 2020, and already within the first month of the new year, it has proven to be very controversial. While the law is similar to red flag laws in 17 other states, more or less, there are serious concerns raised by critics that the Colorado version infringes on the due process rights of the accused, and that there are potentially unconstitutional aspects to the way it will be enforced. Continue reading
Colorado Sees Rise in Domestic Violence Abusers Threatening Deportation
In 2018, a Denver-based domestic violence Latina shelter, known as Latina Safehouse, helped 150 clients escape their abusive partners. In 2019, the number already topped 300 with more than 6 months left to go. This safehouse is a nonprofit organization that specializes in serving domestic violence victims who are refugees or who are living in the United States illegally. The group’s director said that one particular domestic violence threat has been on the rise: the fear of deportation. Continue reading
Understanding Restraining Orders and Domestic Violence
Restraining orders—or protection orders—often occur during a family law matter, such as divorce or child custody, or as a result of a domestic violence situation. Once a restraining order is in place, it can be a burdensome process to deal with the order as well as to have the order canceled. A restraining order can do the following: Continue reading
