Legally Reviewed by Shazam Kianpour on June 22, 2026
It does not matter what happened, who called the police or how much of a “big misunderstanding” it really was. If someone called 911 about a domestic violence situation, someone is going to be arrested. And once an arrest has taken place, there is nothing that you, your spouse, your significant other or any family member can do. Only the district attorney is in control of what happens next.
At Shazam Kianpour & Associates, P.C., our Denver domestic violence lawyers defend clients across the Denver metro area and throughout Colorado. With 22+ years of criminal defense experience, a dual prosecution and defense background, and over 10,000 cases handled, we know how Colorado prosecutors build domestic violence cases and where there is room to challenge the charges, the evidence, and the mandatory protection orders that come with them.
⚠ Time-Sensitive — A Protection Order Will Be Issued at First Appearance
Arrested for domestic violence in Colorado? A mandatory protection order goes into effect at your first court appearance, and the alleged victim cannot drop the charges. Talk to a defense lawyer before you say anything to anyone.
22+ years of criminal defense experience. Dual prosecution and defense background. 10,000+ criminal cases handled. Available 24/7 after an arrest.
Shazam Kianpour & Associates, P.C., represents clients in the Denver area and throughout Colorado’s Front Range. Our Denver domestic violence defense lawyers defend clients against domestic violence-related charges such as:
In today’s social and political climate, the courts take domestic violence charges very seriously. In fact, even if an alleged victim recants or denies the original version of events given to the police, prosecutors can, and often do, charge the alleged offender anyway. Prosecutors are even allowed to introduce prior “alleged acts” to gain a conviction. These acts don’t even have to be against the same domestic partner!
As your criminal defense lawyer, Shazam Kianpour will look at every possible defense available to you and aggressively fight for your rights at every stage of the case. He will help you challenge the accusation and resulting consequences such as a restraining order. He works to show that you are not a danger, but that the accusation was false or that it was a simple argument that went a little too far. You can rest assured that no effort will be spared in trying to help you avoid the stigma and consequences that a domestic violence conviction on your record can have.
Most people do not realize that the phrase “domestic violence” itself is not the name of or a type of crime. It is simply a description, or what Colorado criminal lawyers call a “sentencing enhancer”.
To put it simply, when you are charged with a crime, the police look to see if you committed this crime against a person with whom currently or previously you have been involved in an intimate relationship. If the answer is “yes”, prosecutors add the “DV” sentencing enhancer to the underlying charge. Along with that charge, the court will issue a mandatory protection order at your first appearance, as outlined on the Colorado Judicial Branch’s protection order self-help page, which usually includes a no-contact provision and a stay-away order.
For example, suppose I were to see my ex-girlfriend from 25 years ago in a supermarket, and I were to notice she dropped a checkbook and I decided to steal it and write a check and cash it at the register. If the police in Denver were to catch me at the cash register and charge me with forgery of her check, then I would be charged with “Forgery, Domestic Violence” in Denver.
The list goes on and on, and applies to any crime, whether it is financial like “domestic violence theft” in Douglas County, a violent crime like “domestic violence assault” in Arapahoe County, or even other crimes like “domestic violence stalking” in Denver or “domestic violence harassment” in Jefferson County.
My boyfriend was charged with domestic violence in Adams County and they arrested him. Why did the police say they have to arrest him?
Let’s say you are arguing with your spouse very loudly and are maybe yelling at each other. Tempers are flaring as one or both of you have been drinking and are arguing about the children, finances, or an ex who just won’t go away from your lives. The neighbors get scared and call the cops, and next thing you know the police are in your house questioning you.
By law, if the police feel that any crime has occurred, and that it is a domestic violence criminal charge in Colorado because it happened from one intimate partner against the other, then the law says that they must arrest whoever they are going to charge. You cannot get a ticket (called a summons) and have the police leave your house without an arrest. The law says that you must be arrested and you have to spend the night in jail without bail being set by a judge.
The typical rule is that a judge or magistrate will see you the next morning and determine what bail to set based on your priors, history, the seriousness of this crime, and other factors. This is why it is so crucial that you hire an experienced Denver domestic violence attorney to be with your family member in court the next day. We have handled and successfully defended hundreds of domestic violence charges in Adams County, Arapahoe County, Douglas County, and all other counties in the metro Denver area. Calling the right Denver domestic violence lawyer may make the difference in your family’s future.
Unfortunately, the law on this issue is very strict. If you two fought and someone was charged, the judge is going to put a restraining order in place to make sure that when everyone is bailed out of jail, there are no more fights and there is a “cooling-off period”.
Some judges and prosecutors understand that it is unrealistic for families to live apart for a long time. Other judges and district attorneys will order you to move out of your own home and have no contact with your wife and kids for months. Does this sound familiar? You should be calling our firm right now. At Shazam Kianpour & Associates, P.C., we have handled domestic violence cases in Aurora, Brighton, Lakewood, Golden, Arvada, Wheat Ridge, Denver, and any other city in the metro area that you can think of.
We are Denver domestic violence attorneys, and we have seen how Colorado domestic violence laws and punishments can ruin families more than the actual DV acts themselves can. Reach out to us for a free consultation about your Denver domestic violence case today.
The first thing you can count on in Colorado is domestic violence classes ordered by the court. There are three stages of classes, and the basic minimums you can expect total about 36 hours (36 weeks of classes). Next is anger management and therapy, then there will likely be marriage counseling, parenting classes, fees, fines, costs, probation requirements, and random drug and alcohol testing. You may also be ordered to move out of your own home and not see your spouse and kids.
We spend every day fighting for our clients in domestic violence cases in Boulder and Weld counties and all other counties in the metro area. Shazam Kianpour & Associates, P.C. is a firm of domestic violence lawyers in Denver who know how to explain the law to you and help the government see why it should let you back home. Your solution begins here, so reach out to us today.
As we mentioned earlier, nearly any crime in Colorado can be charged with a domestic violence sentencing enhancer, but some of the most common crimes that we see charged as DV are:
I am charged with domestic violence in Douglas County, but my girlfriend says she won’t cooperate with police. Does that mean they will dismiss my case?
Unfortunately, usually the answer is no; the state will not dismiss a case just because the alleged victim in a DV case refuses to cooperate. “Recanting victims” in DV cases in Colorado are very common, and district attorneys receive much training on how to convince juries to find you guilty even if the victim now says, “It didn’t really happen.”
The first thing to understand is that your girlfriend or boyfriend may have called the police, but the government is the one actually bringing the charges. And as a victim to a domestic violence case in Denver, you may not drop charges like you see people do on television shows. And “not cooperating” doesn’t mean much if you are validly subpoenaed and may be sent to jail by the judge if you refuse to come to court.
Domestic violence in Colorado is a sentencing enhancer rather than a standalone charge, so the statute of limitations follows the underlying offense. Under Colorado Revised Statute 16-5-401, misdemeanor underlying charges (such as third-degree assault, harassment, or criminal mischief charged with the DV enhancer) generally must be filed within 18 months of the alleged offense, while felony underlying charges have a three-year filing window. Some serious felonies carry longer deadlines, and Class 1 felonies have no statute of limitations at all. If you leave Colorado after the alleged offense, the clock pauses for up to five years.
Domestic violence defense fees in Denver vary based on the underlying charge, the complexity of the case, and whether the case goes to trial. Misdemeanor DV cases typically run from a few thousand dollars for a plea-based resolution to higher amounts for cases that go to trial. Felony DV cases involving serious bodily injury, weapons charges, or multiple priors can run substantially higher. At Shazam Kianpour & Associates, P.C., we offer free initial consultations so you can understand your options and our fee structure before you commit to representation.
So what should you do? Reach out to the Denver domestic violence lawyers who have been there and won these cases before. With more than 22 years of criminal defense experience, over 10,000 cases handled across the Denver area, and a dual prosecution and defense background, our team understands how Colorado prosecutors build domestic violence cases and where those cases can be challenged.
From the initial arrest through the mandatory protection order, the criminal proceedings, and any related restraining order hearings, we will stay with you at every step. Schedule your free consultation to discuss your case and let us put our experience to work for you.
