Domestic violence is not a crime all by itself in Colorado. In fact, domestic violence is what is known as a “sentence enhancer” in the state, meaning that it will increase punishment for an underlying offense.

If you’re accused of a crime involving domestic violence as an aggravating factor, you may face serious charges in the state. In Colorado, police will arrest anyone they suspect with probable cause to have

Colorado courts treat domestic violence charges as enhancements or additions to existing charges. So, if the defendant and alleged victim share or have shared an intimate relationship, additional penalties will be imposed upon conviction.

To ensure due punishment, domestic violence charges in Colorado have some unique characteristics:

• They require mandatory arrest.
• The accuser cannot drop the charges.
• The District Attorney can proceed with the case even if the accuser does