Boulder Felony Lawyers — Felony Defense in Boulder County District Court
A felony charge in Boulder County is the most serious category of criminal allegation. A conviction means potential years in the Colorado Department of Corrections, permanent loss of firearm rights, loss of voting rights during incarceration, and a record that affects employment, housing, professional licensing, and community standing for the rest of your life. The Boulder County District Attorney’s office prosecutes felonies with experienced prosecutors and substantial resources. Burnham Law’s Boulder felony defense attorneys match that preparation — fighting for clients from the initial advisement through preliminary hearings, motions practice, and trial in Boulder County District Court.
Meet our Boulder criminal defense team below — attorneys experienced in felony defense throughout Boulder County District Court and the 20th Judicial District.
Jeremy Wooten, is a seasoned trial attorney who specializes in criminal defense and family law, leveraging a wealth of experience honed over five years at the Colorado State Public Defenders’ Office. Rising to Senior Deputy Public Defender, he successfully managed a diverse caseload, including serious charges like first-degree homicide, drug distribution, and economic crimes, always maintaining an unwavering commitment to client advocacy. Licensed in both Texas and Colorado, Jeremy's legal expertise is defined by strategic planning—meticulously crafting and executing well-thought-out trial strategies—and remarkable resourcefulness in finding innovative solutions to complex legal challenges in both the criminal and family law arenas. His practice is characterized by agile, client-centered advocacy, which relies on adaptability, active listening, and quick thinking essential for effective trial work. Jeremy prioritizes thoroughly understanding his clients' objectives and adapting his strategies dynamically to the evolving nature of trials. His resilience and strategic agility allow him to confidently navigate unexpected developments in the courtroom, ensuring each case is expertly...
Julian Rosielle has been licensed to practice law in Colorado since 2006. Julian is a graduate of the University of Colorado School of Law, where he was on the Dean’s List and an associate editor of the University of Colorado Law Review. Julian practiced exclusively in the area of criminal law for the first thirteen years of his career and has several notable case outcomes to include not guilty verdicts on charges of homicide and assault. Julian has extensive trial experience, ranging from Death Penalty cases to misdemeanor domestic violence to driving under the influence. Beginning in 2019, Julian’s practice has expanded to include domestic relations litigation and civil protection orders. Julian has lived in Colorado since 2004 and when not in Court enjoys hiking with his family and dogs.
Kate strives to have a client-oriented practice where she can assist her clients in all stages of litigation. Prior to joining Burnham, Kate was an associate at an AmLaw Firm where she worked on various types of complex litigation representing large corporations, municipalities, and individuals. Before going into private practice, Kate was an Assistant Public Defender in Miami-Dade County where she tried over twenty cases. Kate has been able to develop a well-rounded practice by working in both the private and public sectors. Kate has honed her skill sets from her prior experience so she can be a zealous advocate for her clients. In her spare time, Kate enjoys spending time with her husband in the outdoors, traveling, and visiting family.
Miguel C. Mondragon is a tenacious and dedicated attorney who is fiercely committed to his clients and their legal outcomes. Recognizing that clients facing divorce or criminal charges are often in their most vulnerable state, Miguel acts as a passionate advocate, ensuring they have a voice within the legal system. Growing up in southern Colorado, Miguel developed a strong work ethic by working in construction, lumber, and brickyards while attending college. Before becoming an attorney, his interest in law was sparked by his work within the Larimer County Corrections system. While attending the University of South Dakota School of Law, he gained valuable experience working with East River Legal Services, the Colorado State Public Defenders Office, and Samuelson Law. Upon graduation, Miguel honed his skills first as a solo practitioner, then at Weaver & Associates, P.C., before founding Mondragon Law, where he specialized in criminal defense and family law. He brings this deep experience and tenacity to his current role...
Felony Charges in Colorado
Colorado classifies felonies into six levels — F1 through F6 — based on offense severity. Class 6 felonies carry a presumptive sentence of 1 to 1.5 years in the Department of Corrections with 1 year of mandatory parole. Class 1 felonies carry life imprisonment or, in capital cases, the death penalty. Between those poles, each felony class has a presumptive sentencing range that can be exceeded when statutory aggravating factors are proven. All felony sentences in Colorado include a mandatory parole period following release from incarceration.
In Boulder County, the 20th Judicial District handles felony matters across the full range of offense types — from drug and property crimes to violent felonies, sexual assault, and complex financial crimes. Boulder’s demographics produce some felony categories that arise with specific frequency in this jurisdiction: felony assaults arising from altercations in Boulder’s bar and nightlife scene, drug felonies near CU’s campus, sexual assault allegations from the university community, and financial crimes involving Boulder’s professional population. Understanding the specific character of felony prosecution in this jurisdiction shapes defense strategy.
The procedural framework for felony cases is more elaborate than for misdemeanors. After advisement, Class 1 through 3 felonies are entitled to a preliminary hearing where the prosecution must establish probable cause. Discovery is extensive. Motions practice — particularly suppression motions — is critical. The timeline from arrest to resolution is longer, and the stakes at every decision point are correspondingly higher.
What Our Boulder Felony Defense Attorneys Handle
Violent felonies: Assault, robbery, kidnapping, and related charges carry Boulder County’s highest potential sentences. We investigate thoroughly, challenge witness credibility and identification, and build defenses around self-defense, insufficient evidence, and constitutional violations.
Sexual assault felonies: Sexual offense charges in Boulder — particularly those arising from the CU community — carry mandatory sex offender registration in addition to prison sentences. These cases require expert witnesses, thorough investigation, and aggressive challenge of every element of the charge. We defend these cases with the seriousness and rigor they demand.
Drug felonies: Distribution, trafficking, and possession with intent charges near CU’s campus are prosecuted as a priority by the Boulder County DA. We challenge search and seizure, the intent evidence, and the characterization of the conduct in every drug felony matter.
Financial and white collar felonies: Boulder’s professional community generates financial crime, fraud, and embezzlement cases that require sophisticated defense analysis of complex financial evidence. We handle white collar felony defense with the depth these cases require.
DUI felonies: A third DUI in Colorado is a Class 4 felony. We defend DUI felony cases in Boulder County with the same comprehensive approach we bring to all felony matters, including challenge of prior convictions used to elevate the charge.
Property felonies: Theft, burglary, arson, and related property crimes require careful analysis of identity and intent evidence. Many property felony cases turn on the sufficiency of the evidence connecting the specific defendant to the specific conduct.
How Felony Cases Work in Boulder County
A felony arrest in Boulder results in an initial advisement in Boulder County District Court, typically within 48 hours. At the advisement, bond is addressed and counsel confirmed. For Class 1 through 3 felonies, a preliminary hearing follows — the prosecution’s opportunity to establish probable cause and the defense’s first significant opportunity to confront witnesses and challenge the evidentiary basis for the charge.
After preliminary hearing, the case moves into discovery and motions practice. Suppression motions challenging the constitutional basis for stops, searches, and arrests can result in exclusion of critical prosecution evidence — often changing the entire trajectory of a felony case. The Boulder County DA’s office has experienced prosecutors who are capable of handling suppression challenges, but well-researched and well-argued suppression motions still carry real weight in Boulder County District Court.
The majority of felony cases in Boulder County resolve through plea negotiations, but the quality of the available plea offer is directly tied to how strong the defense is. The DA’s office factors the strength of the defense — the credibility of the suppression challenge, the weakness of the identification or intent evidence, the quality of the defense attorney — into every plea offer. We prepare every Boulder felony case for trial, which is what puts our clients in the best possible position in negotiations.
Why Burnham Law for Felony Defense in Boulder
20th Judicial District experience. We handle felony cases regularly in Boulder County District Court and know the prosecutors, the judges, and the tendencies of the 20th Judicial District. That specific knowledge directly affects the outcomes we achieve.
CU campus offense experience. Boulder’s university community generates a category of felony cases — sexual assault allegations, drug distribution, assault arising from campus events — that have specific factual and legal characteristics. We have experience with this category of felony matter and the specific defense approaches it requires.
Suppression motion capability. Many Boulder felony cases turn on whether key evidence can be suppressed. We file thorough, well-researched suppression motions in every case where constitutional issues exist.
Sentencing advocacy. When conviction is unavoidable, the quality of sentencing advocacy determines the consequence. We prepare comprehensive mitigation presentations — character evidence, expert testimony, individualized arguments — for every Boulder County felony sentencing.
Colorado felonies range from Class 6 (1–1.5 years DOC presumptive, 1 year parole) to Class 1 (life or death). Class 5: 1–3 years. Class 4: 2–6 years. Class 3: 4–12 years. Class 2: 8–24 years. These are presumptive ranges — aggravating factors can push sentences above the presumptive maximum. All felony sentences include mandatory parole following release. The specific applicable range for any charge depends on the offense classification and any aggravating provisions that apply.
What is a preliminary hearing and how is it used in Boulder County felony defense?
A preliminary hearing is a court proceeding at which the prosecution must establish probable cause to believe the defendant committed the charged felony. The defense can cross-examine prosecution witnesses, challenge the evidence presented, and argue that probable cause has not been established. If the court finds no probable cause, the charges are dismissed or reduced. Preliminary hearings are available as of right for Class 1 through 3 felonies in Colorado. They are among the most important defense tools available in Boulder County felony cases — an early opportunity to challenge the evidence and sometimes the vehicle for securing dismissal or significant charge reduction.
How does a felony charge at CU affect a student’s enrollment?
A felony charge — even before conviction — can trigger CU’s Office of Student Conduct process, which can result in interim suspension pending resolution of the criminal case. A felony conviction can result in expulsion. The university conduct process operates on its own standard of proof (preponderance of the evidence) and its own procedures, entirely independent of the criminal case. A criminal acquittal does not automatically resolve the university conduct matter. We address both the criminal defense and the university conduct implications simultaneously for CU student clients facing felony charges.
Can a felony conviction be appealed in Colorado?
Yes. A felony conviction can be appealed to the Colorado Court of Appeals on grounds including legal errors at trial, improperly admitted or excluded evidence, constitutional violations, and legally insufficient evidence. The appeal must be filed within 49 days of the final judgment. Appellate courts do not retry cases — they review for legal error. A successful appeal can result in reversal, remand for a new trial, or modification of the sentence. Post-conviction relief — including motions for new trial based on newly discovered evidence — is a separate but related avenue for challenging felony convictions after the direct appeal.
What happens to a felony case if a witness recants in Boulder County?
A witness recantation in a Boulder County felony case significantly affects the prosecution’s position but does not automatically result in dismissal. The DA’s office can proceed using other evidence — physical evidence, other witnesses, surveillance footage, and in some cases prior statements made by the recanting witness. The defense can use the recantation effectively at trial to challenge the reliability of prior statements. Whether a recantation leads to dismissal, reduced charges, or simply a stronger trial defense depends on the overall strength of the prosecution’s case without the cooperating witness.
Schedule a Consultation with a Boulder Felony Lawyer
A felony charge in Boulder County requires serious, experienced defense from the very first appearance. The early stages of a felony case — bond, preliminary hearing, suppression motions — shape everything that follows. Burnham Law’s Boulder felony defense attorneys are ready to fight for you from day one.
Call (303) 990-5308 or schedule a confidential consultation online. We defend felony charges throughout Boulder County and the 20th Judicial District.
