Best Denver Criminal Defense Lawyers

Criminal defense lawyers in Denver work in a judicial district of one county. The 2nd Judicial District covers Denver alone, so its bench and plea culture differ. A lawyer who knows Arapahoe or Jefferson County may not know this one. Most attorneys listed here appear at the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse regularly.

We research each listing using public records, verified reviews, and direct evaluation. Our rankings reflect reputation, reliability, and results.

  • Bar standing and public disciplinary history review
  • Documented case results and courtroom trial experience
  • Peer recognition within the legal community
  • Client reviews, communication, and responsiveness
  • Overall online reputation and verified user feedback

Rankings are determined independently based on public information and editorial research.

Leading Denver Criminal Lawyers with Trial and Prosecution Backgrounds

Screenshot of the The Law Office of Jacob E. Martinez Website

Jacob E. Martinez is a Denver criminal defense lawyer who has practiced in this field for more than fifteen years. A Denver native, he opened his own office in 2014 after six years with another local defense firm. He has never taken any other kind of case.

U.S. News has listed the office among its Best Law Firms every year since 2021. The National Trial Lawyers named Attorney Martinez a Top 100 Trial Lawyer. Associates Brett Eliasen and Tyler Selcer both earned Top 40 Under 40 recognition.

Cases range from DUI to homicide, with trial acquittals in Denver, Jefferson and Arapahoe County courts. The office also uses 3D scene reconstruction and geo-imaging to challenge police accounts. Consultations are free and the phone is answered around the clock.

Screenshot of the Wolf Law Criminal Defense Attorney in Denver Website
1385 S Colorado Blvd Suite A-606, Denver, CO 80222, USA

Jeffrey Wolf began his career defending indigent clients and has stayed on one side of the courtroom ever since. He founded Wolf Law and now works alongside attorneys Colleen Kelley and Cassandra Monahan.

Wolf has handled thousands of criminal and traffic matters across Colorado. The team appears regularly in municipal, county and district courts, and takes on impaired driving, theft, protection order violations and probation revocations. That range makes them a practical option for anyone looking for a criminal defense attorney in Denver.

Wolf also comments on national cases for the Law & Crime Network and Court TV. The firm publishes flat, transparent pricing and reviews new cases at no charge.

Screenshot of the WeedenLaw Website
1580 Logan St, Denver, CO 80203, USA

Practicing since 2005, Jeff Weeden has built WeedenLaw around a single message: say nothing to police and call an attorney first. That advice shapes how the office handles cases from the first phone call onward.

The caseload runs from petty offenses to homicide, in both state and federal courtrooms. Recent results include dismissals in Denver District Court and a Lakewood domestic violence case dropped on the day of trial.

Weeden holds an AV Preeminent peer rating and multiple Avvo Client's Choice awards. Clients come from Jefferson, Douglas, Boulder and Larimer counties as well as Denver. A second office in Lakewood opens by appointment. Anyone weighing options can start with a free consultation from this Denver criminal defense attorney.

Screenshot of the Stanley Law Office Website
24928 Genesee Trail Rd # 100, Golden, CO 80401, USA

Thirty-five years in practice and more than 150 jury trials to verdict give James Stanley an unusual read on how a case will land. He served as a Colorado Senior Deputy District Attorney before switching to defense work.

That prosecutor background helps him spot flawed police investigations and procedural errors early. Stanley takes only criminal and serious traffic matters, from drunk driving to murder charges.

He works out of Golden and appears throughout Jefferson, Denver, Boulder, Douglas, Arapahoe and Adams counties. The office partners with TripleLLaw, P.C. and attorney Jake Lilly.

Screenshot of the Ross Koplin Attorney At Law Website
600 17th Street, Suite 2800 South, Denver, CO 80202, USA

Few Denver practices concentrate on traffic law as tightly as this one. Ross Koplin has spent more than 30 years on speeding tickets, careless and reckless driving charges, suspended license cases and DWAI matters.

He also represents drivers at Colorado DMV hearings, where accumulated points can cost someone their license before a court ever weighs in. Koplin belongs to the Colorado, Illinois and American Bar Associations.

His practice extends to misdemeanor and felony defense and to injury claims. Clients come from across the Front Range, including Aurora, Lakewood, Littleton and Castle Rock.

Screenshot of the Dillon Alfrey Law Website
600 17th St #2800s, Denver, CO 80202, USA

Two former Chief Deputy District Attorneys run this Denver practice. William Dillon prosecuted for the Denver District Attorney's Office and completed more than 200 misdemeanor and felony trials there. Curt Alfrey served under three consecutive District Attorneys.

Between them they bring over 60 years of legal experience, concentrated on DUI, DUID, DWAI, vehicular assault, vehicular homicide and DMV consequences. Alfrey has also lectured prosecutors and defense lawyers nationally on negotiations and trial advocacy.

The firm quotes flat fees and reviews cases at no charge.

Screenshot of the Decker Jones Law Website
2025 York St, Denver, CO 80205, USA

Christopher Decker and David Jones both spent their first decade at the Colorado State Public Defender's Office before partnering in 2016. Between them, they handled thousands of appointed cases, from traffic offenses to first-degree murder.

Decker served as president of the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar and teaches trial practice. Jones finished his public defender career as senior attorney in Jefferson County and has specialized experience in contested medical cause-of-death cases.

The pair have won outright acquittals on sexual assault, kidnapping and murder counts. Callers reach an attorney the same business day.

Screenshot of the Geigle | Morales, LLC Website
1720 S Bellaire St #110, Denver, CO 80222, USA

More than 100 years of combined experience sits behind this Denver practice, built by former prosecutors and public defenders. Criminal defense and family law drive most of the caseload.

The attorneys also take civil litigation, including personal injury and civil rights claims. Confidential consultations are available for anyone weighing options after an arrest or a serious dispute.

Screenshot of the The Law Office of Monte J. Robbins, Esq. Website

Monte Robbins takes every call himself and keeps every case from the first conversation to the last hearing. No associate steps in partway through.

He has spent more than 20 years on impaired driving work, including felony DUI, habitual traffic offender charges, vehicular assault and license revocation hearings. Commercial drivers facing CDL revocation are a regular part of the caseload.

Robbins holds a 10.0 Avvo rating and runs offices in Denver and Greeley. Case evaluations cost nothing.

Screenshot of the Law Office of Kevin Cahill Website
1385 S Colorado Blvd A-720, Denver, CO 80222, USA

Domestic violence allegations, sex offenses and restraining orders make up much of Kevin Cahill's work. He became the go-to lawyer for those cases at a large Denver metro firm before opening his own office.

Cahill earned his law degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 2005. He has also handled hundreds of traffic matters, including license suspensions that clients tend to underestimate.

He belongs to the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the National College for DUI Defense, and offers no-cost case reviews.

Screenshot of the M. Trent Trani & Associates, P.C. Website

Former Colorado State Public Defender M. Trent Trani opened this Cherry Creek office in 2005. He deliberately keeps the caseload small so that clients are not handed off.

Over 20 years he has tried felony and misdemeanor matters throughout Colorado, several of them covered nationally. Trani has appeared on Good Morning America, the Today Show and Primetime Live to discuss high-profile prosecutions.

The National Trial Lawyers placed him on its Top 100 list. Initial meetings are free and same-day appointments are available.

Screenshot of the The Law Offices of Rodger C. Daley and Associates Website

Rodger Daley opened this Denver firm in 1991 and it has run on the same two tracks ever since: family law and criminal defense. Four attorneys and three paralegals staff the office today.

Daley trained as a certified Colorado peace officer before law school, which gives him a working knowledge of how arrests are made. The team handles parental responsibility and parenting time disputes alongside criminal matters.

First meetings are free.

Screenshot of the The Eichner Law Firm Website
3773 Cherry Creek N Dr, Denver, CO 80209, USA

More than 140 jury trials over three decades sit behind Kenneth Eichner's record. A former prosecutor who also served as appointed counsel, he launched the firm in 1996. Today he defends individuals and companies in state and federal court.

His work covers grand jury inquiries, regulatory actions and financial fraud alongside violent and sex offense charges. In 2019 he won a $2.7 million defamation verdict, the largest of its kind in Colorado history.

The firm takes a small number of clients at a time. Cases have drawn coverage from every major news outlet.

Screenshot of the Law Office Of Richard B. Huttner Website
720 S Colorado Blvd Penthouse North, Denver, CO 80246, USA

Richard B. Huttner has defended the accused in Colorado since 1993. Over 32 years he has resolved more than 5,000 cases and handled over 100 jury trials.

He is a founding member of the National College for DUI Defense and holds the same field sobriety testing certification as police officers. That training shapes how he attacks chemical and roadside test evidence.

Huttner works cases himself rather than passing them to an associate, covering impaired driving, violent crime, drug offenses and juvenile matters.

Screenshot of the Gerash Steiner Blanton, P.C. Website
1775 Sherman St #1650, Denver, CO 80203, USA

Dan Gerash has appeared in Colorado courts since 1988 and began at the Denver Regional Public Defender's Office. He has served as lead and co-counsel in trials ranging from first degree murder to catastrophic malpractice claims.

The firm carries an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell and pairs criminal work with serious injury litigation. Walter L. Gerash, the veteran Denver defense attorney, assists as of counsel.

Clients get partners' direct cell numbers.

Screenshot of the Russell Hebets, Attorney at Law Website
1777 S Harrison St Ste 310, Denver, CO 80210, USA

Russell Hebets and Colin McCallin both came from the prosecution side. Hebets worked as a deputy district attorney in Arapahoe County before moving to defense work in 2001.

Together they bring over 35 years of combined experience across DUI, drug charges, theft, violent offenses, and sex crimes. Hebets has defended everything from traffic citations to first degree murder.

The two also host a legal podcast, Is This Legal?, breaking down Colorado cases and new legislation. Consultations are free.

Screenshot of the Zuckerman Law Website
1600 Stout St Suite 1400, Denver, CO 80202, USA

Tally Zuckerman spent years as a deputy public defender and was named Attorney of the Year by the Denver Trial Office in 2010. Her practice centers on sex offense and juvenile cases.

She has worked with hundreds of teenagers and knows what it takes to keep a child from being charged as an adult. The office also petitions courts to end sex offender registration requirements. First meetings cost nothing.

Screenshot of the Stuart & Ward LLP Website
140 E 19th Ave Ste 300, Denver, CO 80203, USA

Every partner here started at the Colorado State Public Defender's Office. Two have served as president of the Colorado Criminal Bar Association. State and federal felony defense is the main work, alongside civil rights and injury claims.

Screenshot of the The Law Offices of Jonathan S. Willett, LLC Website

Thirty-eight years of practice, 75 trials and 150 appeals put Jonathan Willett among the more seasoned advocates on this list. He began in the appellate division of Colorado's state defender system.

Willett holds an AV Preeminent rating and appears as counsel of record in 25 published opinions. He is licensed in Colorado, New York and Idaho, and works from offices in downtown Denver and Boulder.

Screenshot of the Churchill Criminal Defense Website
1801 Broadway, Suite 539, Denver, CO 80202, USA

Kevin Churchill has defended Colorado clients for over 20 years and sits on the board of the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar. A former prosecutor, he knows how the state builds its case before charges are filed.

He has also served as a legal analyst for Court TV, ABC News and Fox News. Assault, theft, domestic violence and drug charges make up most of the docket.

Screenshot of the Landy Leedy McGreevy & Winocur Website
303 16th St Mall #200, Denver, CO 80202, USA

White-collar and economic crime work anchors this downtown Denver practice. Fredric Winocur defends securities violations, financial and healthcare fraud, public corruption and antitrust matters for companies and individuals.

Patrick Ridley and Kevin McGreevy both handled appointed criminal cases for the state before entering private practice, and both carry AV Preeminent peer ratings. McGreevy has sat on the Colorado Supreme Court's criminal procedure rules committee.

The firm handles appeals and civil litigation alongside its criminal work.

Screenshot of the Scott H. Robinson, P.C. Website
1660 Lincoln St Suite #2350, Denver, CO 80264, USA

Scott Robinson has been trying cases since 1977 and arguing appeals since 1975, including before the United States Supreme Court. His trial record covers murder counts and police shooting lawsuits.

He has been the legal analyst for 9NEWS and 850 KOA Radio since 1997. Robinson limits his practice to criminal defense, personal injury and wrongful death claims.

Screenshot of the MANNINA AND ASSOCIATES Website
1624 Market St, Denver, CO 80202, USA

Trent Mannina worked as a public defender before opening his own office, handling a broad mix of felony and misdemeanor matters. He now takes criminal cases alongside employment discrimination and injury claims across the Front Range, including Jefferson, Arapahoe and Boulder counties. Consultations are free.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a criminal defense lawyer in Denver cost?

It depends on the charge. Most misdemeanor cases run on a flat fee. Felony matters are usually billed hourly or on tiered flat fees. Ask what the quote covers before you sign anything.

How long will a Denver criminal case take?

Weeks to well over a year. A simple county court case may resolve in a few appearances. Felony matters at Denver District Court move slower, especially if they head to trial. Blood test backlogs can add months to impaired driving cases.

How fast do I have to act after a DUI arrest?

Seven calendar days. Colorado's express consent law gives you seven days to request a DMV hearing. Miss it and the revocation takes effect without a challenge. That clock runs separately from your court case and does not pause for weekends.

Is domestic violence its own charge in Colorado?

No, it is a sentence enhancer. Under C.R.S. 18-6-800.3, it attaches to an underlying offense like assault or harassment. The court issues a mandatory protection order at first appearance. That order usually bars contact and requires you to surrender firearms.

How long does the state have to file charges?

Often three years for a felony. Most misdemeanors carry an 18-month limit and petty offenses six months. Murder and certain sex offenses have no deadline at all. The clock can also pause if the accused leaves Colorado.

Can a Denver criminal record be sealed?

Sometimes, and sometimes automatically. Dismissals, acquittals, and completed deferred judgments are sealed by the court without a petition. Eligible convictions require a waiting period and no new convictions since. DUI, DWAI and domestic violence convictions are generally not eligible.

Types of Criminal Cases Denver Attorneys Handle

DUI and DWAI. Colorado charges DUI at 0.08 BAC and DWAI between 0.05 and 0.079. A fourth offense is a felony with no lookback period. Every case runs on two tracks at once, one in court and one at the DMV.

Domestic violence offenses. Colorado has a mandatory arrest law, so an officer with probable cause must make an arrest. Most defendants spend a night in custody before bond. A conviction ends firearm rights under federal law.

Assault and violent crime. Third degree assault is a misdemeanor. Second- and first-degree charges are felonies with long prison exposure. Self-defense and disputed injury evidence often decide these cases.

Drug charges. Possession, distribution and intent cases still fill Denver dockets despite legal cannabis. Search and seizure issues come up constantly. A suppressed search can end the prosecution outright.

Sex offenses. These carry indeterminate sentences and registration duties that follow a person for decades. Juveniles can face adult charges. Early defense work matters more here than almost anywhere else.

Theft and property crimes. Value thresholds set the charge level, so the dollar amount drives everything. Burglary, criminal mischief and trespass fall in this group too.

White collar and fraud cases. These often start as a regulatory inquiry or a grand jury subpoena. Several Denver firms take them on before charges are ever filed.

Serious traffic offenses. Vehicular assault, vehicular homicide, careless driving and habitual offender charges land in criminal court. License consequences run alongside the criminal exposure.

How to Choose a Criminal Defense Lawyer in Denver

Ask how often they appear in the 2nd Judicial District. Denver has its own district attorney and its own bench. Familiarity with those actors shapes what a plea negotiation looks like.

Look at the trial record, not just years in practice. A lawyer who tries cases has more room to negotiate. Ask how many verdicts they have taken and in which counties.

Check whether they came from the other side. Many Denver attorneys spent years as prosecutors or state public defenders. That background tells you how they read a police file.

Confirm who actually handles your file. Some firms hand cases to junior associates after intake. Ask directly which lawyer will stand up in the courtroom.

Ask about collateral consequences. A conviction can affect a professional license, immigration status, housing or gun rights. Those effects often outlast the sentence itself.

What Affects the Outcome of a Denver Criminal Case

No lawyer can promise a result. Outcomes turn on the strength of the evidence, the charge level and your prior record. Suppression rulings can reshape a case before trial, and so can a witness who becomes unavailable. Denver prosecutors weigh the same factors when they decide what to offer. An attorney who knows the local legal system can give you a realistic read on your options early.

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