Imagine a scenario where you are a County of Denver resident criminally charged a second time with disturbing the peace. Let’s just say that the neighbors complained about some extracurriculars at your backyard game-day parties following Bronco victories.
You might logically expect a bit of a fallout from that, right? Perhaps a fine, maybe, coupled with a legal warning promising ramped-up penalties for any repeat occurrence.
Would you be surprised if the Denver City Attorney’s office responded to that second offense by seizing your home and selling it?
The answer to that is obvious, of course, with mere surprise being an understated reaction.
Shock is the more likely response, with such a response being flatly incomprehensible to most homeowners, even if some criminal behavior was allegedly committed on their property.
The above hypothetical might reasonably seem a bit extreme. Candidly, though, it is not beyond the realm of possibility. In fact, many City and County of Denver residents can duly attest to the potentially onerous outcomes linked with a Colorado nuisance abatement charge.
We spotlight nuisance abatement on our website at Shazam Kianpour & Associates, noting that authorities “may seize your property (typically your car or home) that was involved a crime and sell it.”
Notably, the list of crimes that can trigger a nuisance abatement charge is lengthy and varied. Here are some representative entries:
- Prostitution
- Unlawful activities surrounding a controlled substance
- Theft offenses
- Firearms offenses
- Gang-linked activity
- Alcohol offenses involving minors
A nuisance abatement charge might initially sound like a relatively trivial manner, but the downsides can often turn out to be materially adverse. Questions or concerns regarding potential property seizure and tactics to safeguard against that possibility can be directed to an experienced criminal defense legal team.