Criminal Defense

Most people who come through the criminal justice system are dealing with a completely foreign experience and being judged for the worst day, worst decision of their lives.  You need an advocate who knows the process and the players, an attorney who knows and can show others that you are more than your worst mistake.  We work diligently to get the prosecutor and Judge to see you as the whole person and not just the crime you were charged with.  

As a former public defender and someone who has been gaining experience in the realm of criminal defense since 2005, April has seen her fair share of clients down on their luck.  And no matter what the charge, the one common denominator that matters is an attorney with experience in the criminal justice system.  Approximately 95% of all criminal cases charged end up resolving with a plea bargain or plea agreement.  But what happens if negotiations break down?  What happens if a prosecutor refuses to be reasonable or refuses to engage in appropriate negotiations?  What happens if you and your case is part of that narrow 5% of cases that head to trial? Prosecutors know which attorneys will force them to trial and which attorneys will take the first offer and convince their client to plead guilty.  Why does this matter? Trial means a lot of work, time, and effort on the prosecutors part. Prosecutors are are notoriously busy and overworked. Going to trial means even more work for them. But if it is known that an attorney will not go to trial no matter how bad the offer may be, the prosecution won’t bother to make good offers. You absolutely need an attorney who is experienced in all parts of the criminal trial, from picking a jury to questioning the states experts in a way that builds your defense, one that can tell your side of the story.  This will result in better plea offers and if trial is the way to go it will also result in a trial where your voice is heard. April Murtha has that experience and those skills. Negotiations mean nothing if you can't back it up with solid trial skills.  At AM Law, we are skilled and confident in all parts of the process to work to gain the results you want for your case.

If you find yourself in a less than desirable situation, give us a call at 720-592-8514 and set up a free consultation and we can talk about how we can help you out.

 

DUI

Did you know that a DUI can be a felony offense?  Did you know DUI's don't disappear from your criminal record? Your poor decisions from your young and reckless years can now come back to haunt you in full force.  There are 2 separate parts of a DUI charge; the part where you try to stay out of jail (court process) and the part where you fight to preserve your ability to drive your car (DMV Hearing).  AM Law has handled countless DUI's, many of which have gone all the way through trial.  AM Law has been trained by top-notch attorneys and other professionals on the ins and outs of the Colorado DUI processes. Today's DUI laws are quite strict, leaving even some of the most sympathetic, progressive prosecutors without options to offer a reasonable plea agreement.  This is why you need an attorney who has experience handling DUI trials.

Our representation of clients in DUI cases includes the following:

  • Felony DUI

  • License Hearings

  • DWAI 

  • DUI 1st, 2nd, 3rd (misdemeanor)

  • Driving Under Restraint Alcohol Related- Habitual Traffic Offender (DUR-HTO)

  • Driving Under Restraint- Alcohol Related (DUR-Alc)

  • DUI- Eluding

If you have been arrested or ticketed for a DUI you only have so many days to request a hearing before your license may be suspended.  Time is of the essence with these charges, contact us today.

Misdemeanor Offenses

Misdemeanor offenses can be tricky.  The unfortunate reality is that most District Attorneys, also known as Prosecutors, are new to the job when they are handling misdemeanors.  Sometimes they haven't been practicing law for very long and haven't yet learned how to evaluate cases for good plea offers. Because of this they sometimes view even minor crimes as highly egregious or aggravated.  This can be very frustrating for the accused because even the most minor offenses, the seemingly simple to address cases, become expensive, frustrating,  difficult matters.   Never assume that because it's a misdemeanor it will be easy to get a good plea agreement or even dismissal. Frequently, it is just the opposite.  We are familiar with all manner of misdemeanor offenses and have defended a substantial amount of clients at misdemeanor trials, usually coming out better than the final offer proposed by the prosecution.  Misdemeanor offenses that we handle include, but are not be limited to:

  • Harassment

  • Violation of Protection Orders

  • Criminal Mischief

  • Resisting Arrest

  • Obstruction

  • Assault

  • Drug Misdeamors

  • Theft

  • Domestic Violence (DV)

  • Child Abuse

  • Disorderly Conduct

If you are being charged with any of these sorts of offenses, please don't go it alone.  Having the help of an experienced attorney truly can make a difference.

Felony Offenses

Facing a felony charge can be an intensely scary experience.  A conviction could mean a loss of certain rights, including the right to own a firearm.  With such a wide array of felony offenses, there are also a wide number of potential penalties, including probation, intensive supervised probation, community corrections, and even Department of Corrections (prison) .  You want someone who knows what each of these entails, how to best avoid a prison sentence, and know how to assist in keeping your rights intact.   Currently, AM Law concentrates only on the lower level of felonies: class 4, 5, 6 felonies.  This allows us to focus our time on our clients and ensure that we can keep our individual approach for each person.  Examples of felony offenses we handle include:

  • Menacing

  • Stalking

  • Violation of Bail Bonds

  • Drug Felonies

  • Theft

  • Arson

  • Burglary

  • Motor Vehicle Theft

  • Robbery

  • False Information to Pawn Broker

  • Possession of Weapon by Previous Offender

  • Criminal Mischief

 

Municipal Offenses

Municipal defense can be a specialized area of practice all on it's own.  Many cities (municipalities) have city codes that are similar to the misdemeanor level state statutes.  The city's law enforcement can decide whether to arrest you or write a ticket and can also decide whether to send you to the area County Court or to the city's Municipal Court.  Do not be fooled if you get charged with a municipal offense.  It may seem like you got off easy and were charged with "only" a municipal offense.  However, most municipal offenses can carry a potential jail sentence of up to 120 days and they can issue warrants that can result in you unexpectedly landing in jail.  The City Attorneys take these offenses against their city seriously.   So, even though it may seem like no big deal, that is not always the situation.  We handle all level of municipal criminal offenses in the following cities:

  • Arvada 

  • Lakewood

  • Wheat Ridge

  • Morrison

  • Louisville

  • Golden

  • Boulder

  • Broomfield

 

Traffic Infractions

The Denver Metro area is getting better about offering public transportation, but a driver's license is still absolutely essential for most of those living in the area and along the Front Range.  This is why AM Law, L.L.C. represents people who are facing traffic offenses.  All traffic offenses put points against your license, from failing to signal all the way to reckless driving.  Accrue enough points against your license and your license could be gone.  We handle almost all manner of traffic infractions, including:

  • Speeding

  • Failure to Yield

  • Careless Driving

  • Reckless Driving

  • Driving without a License

  • Construction Zone Tickets

  • School Zone Tickets

  • DMV Hearings for Point Suspensions