The majority of DUI cases involve a sentence to probation, either by itself or as an accompaniment to a term of incarceration. Probation for a DUI can last up to two years, but typically is limited to one year on a first offense lacking any aggravating factors. Even if a defendant is sentenced to a maximum term of incarceration, his jail sentence can legally be followed by a probationary sentence.
A defendant with two prior felony convictions is ineligible for DUI probation, unless the district attorney waives the two prior felony rule.
Certain conditions are standard on all probationary DUI sentences. In all DUI and DWAI cases, the court must order an alcohol evaluation. While it is generally true that the alcohol evaluation must be ordered and reviewed by the court prior to sentencing, the evaluation is completed subsequent to sentencing in cases where the defendant goes to “immediate sentencing”, such as in the majority of first drinking and driving convictions. The alcohol evaluation summarizes the defendant’s prior traffic record, history of alcohol and drug problems, and opines as to the defendant’s amenability to treatment and rehabilitation. The evaluation also recommends a particular treatment regimen: either Level I or Level II alcohol education, along with Level II therapy in certain cases involving either higher blood alcohol levels or prior drinking and driving convictions. There are four levels of therapy, with Track A consisting of 42 hours of therapy, and Track B consisting of 52 hours of therapy, Track C consisting of 68 hours of therapy, and Track D consisting of 86 hours of therapy.
The court may order that a defendant ingest antabuse should the court consider the defendant to have a serious alcohol problem. Judges also can order random breath tests, ETG tests, and urinalysis as probationary conditions. SCRAM bracelets, bracelets which test an individual for alcohol use 24 hours a day, also may be ordered. These bracelets are, however, expensive and are certainly far from infallible. Courts ordering that an individual wear a SCRAM bracelet often do so where the court is concerned that random breathalyzers may not be detecting continued alcohol use.
Imagine walking home from a night out with friends, and someone bumps into you. Usually, this wouldn’t be a big deal. But even though you attempt to apologize, they become immediately aggressive. First, they start yelling at you and threatening you. You ignore this, but when they attempt to attack, you are forced to fight back. Unfortunately, in an attempt to protect yourself, you injure them.
Many people regard taking property that is not yours as theft, but the truth is that how something gets stolen makes a difference in the eyes of the law. That’s why Colorado law differentiates between burglary, robbery, and theft – because stealing is simply the underlying action these distinct crimes have in common.
The charges of burglary depend on the severity of the crime. The charges rely primarily on what
The laws surrounding marijuana use in Colorado are relatively straightforward to understand. Still, it’s helpful to brush up from time to time on a few of the finer points of legalized marijuana in the state, such as whether it’s OK to order marijuana online to have it delivered.
As progressive as Colorado has regarded drug laws and marijuana specifically, you don’t want to break the law unknowingly. In 2019, the
