Assault & Aggravated Assault Lawyers in Fort Collins, CO

Trial-Ready Defense Team Serving Colorado Since 1991

An arrest or formal investigation for assault or aggravated assault in Colorado triggers an immediate legal crisis. District Attorney offices across Larimer and Weld Counties treat assault allegations with severity, often filing mandatory sentence enhancements, requesting high cash bonds, and obtaining strict protection orders that can instantly bar you from your home or workplace.

Assault allegations rarely tell the whole story. What law enforcement reports portray as a clear-cut act of violence is frequently the result of self-defense, mutual combat, false accusations, heated misunderstandings, or exaggerated claims made by the other party. 

Our criminal defense lawyers at Roselle & Breitigam, P.C. are former Deputy District Attorneys with over 65 years of combined experience in criminal law. We understand the prosecution’s playbook for assault allegations, giving us the edge needed to expose weaknesses in their case from the outset.

Call (970) 238-7900 or reach out online for a complimentary in-office or virtual consultation with a Fort Collins assault and aggravated assault attorney.

How We Fight Assault Charges in Fort Collins

When facing assault or aggravated assault allegations, early and aggressive defense action is vital to protecting your liberty. Here is how our firm intervenes to defend your rights:

Immediate protection and intervention - If police officers or detectives contact you for an interview, we step in immediately to enforce your constitutional right to remain silent. We manage all communications with law enforcement to prevent self-incrimination and, whenever possible, present evidence on your behalf directly to prosecutors before formal charging decisions are finalized.

Challenging bond conditions and mandatory restraining orders - Under Colorado law (C.R.S. § 18-1-1001), an assault arrest triggers an automatic protection order. We represent you at initial advisements to advocate for reasonable bond terms and seek modifications to overly restrictive protection orders.

Establishing self-defense or defense of others - Under C.R.S. § 18-1-704, you have the legal right to use reasonable physical force to protect yourself or another person from what you reasonably believe to be imminent, unlawful force. We gather physical evidence, 911 audio recordings, and witness statements to establish lawful self-defense early in litigation.

Challenging injury classifications and weapon allegations - The distinction between a misdemeanor and a heavy felony often hinges on whether an injury qualifies as simple "bodily injury" versus "serious bodily injury," or whether an object was legally a "deadly weapon." We audit medical records and physical evidence to challenge overstated injury classifications and force prosecutors to lower charge tiers.

Trial preparedness - Because local prosecutors know our defense attorneys prepare every file for jury trial, we negotiate from a position of strength, fighting to secure charge dismissals, reductions to non-violent offenses, or complete acquittals at trial.

Assault Charges We Defend

In Colorado, assault charges are divided into three degrees based on intent, the severity of physical harm, and whether a deadly weapon or strangulation was involved.

Third-degree assault (C.R.S. § 18-3-204): The most common misdemeanor assault charge, involving knowingly or recklessly causing physical pain or minor injury to another person.

• Classification: Class 1 misdemeanor (designated as an extraordinary risk offense)
• Common examples: Bar fights, shoving matches, or domestic altercations resulting in minor bruising, scratches, or physical pain.

Second-degree assault (C.R.S. § 18-3-203): A severe felony offense that applies when a person intentionally or recklessly causes injury using a deadly weapon, causes serious bodily injury, intentionally strangles another person, or injures a police officer, firefighter, or medical professional performing official duties.

• Classification: Class 4 felony (typically charged as a mandatory "Crime of Violence") 
• Common examples: Striking someone with a dangerous object (for example, a bottle, a bat, or a weapon), causing broken bones or severe lacerations, or non-fatal strangulation.