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        1. The El Paso County Bar Association sponsors the Call-A-Lawyer Program. On the third Thursday of each month from 7pm to 9pm you may call (719) 471-0380 and obtain free legal advice by telephone from an attorney. As the program is a public service, to avoid the appearance of solicitation, the attorney will not identify himself or herself, but will answer your questions. You may ask the attorney if he or she is competent in domestic violence defense. The phone is the same as Pikes Peak Legal Services / Arkansas River Legal Aid, however local attorneys staff it only at the hours given. Do not call at other times as the legal aid office does not handle criminal matters. This is free.

        2. The El Paso County Bar Association sponsors the Lawyer Referral Service Program. You may call (719) 636-1532 during normal business hours and receive a referral to an attorney for a first consultation. Refer to link for the cost of an attorney consultation.  You may possibly find a slow pay private attorney through this program if payment of fees is a problem; mention your needs when calling. The private counsel slow pay list may be maintained by the public defender's office.

        3.  Additional community resources, links and Colorado forms may be found by accessing the Resources Gateway page.

        1.  If you are indigent and charged in district or county court, you may qualify to have the Court appoint the Public Defender's Office at no cost to you. If this applies to you, ask the judge or contact the Public Defender's Office.  Locally you must pay $25 to procure a public defender application from the Court Clerk's Office. The fee can be waived if you are indigent. Public defender representation is free, or you may qualify for low cost representation.

        2.  If you are indigent and charged in municipal court, you may qualify to have the Court appoint an attorney at no cost to you.  The Public Defender's Office is a state agency and not available to municipal courts.  If this applies to you, ask the judge for a court appointed attorney free, or you may qualify for low cost representation.

        3.  You may contact the court or the Public Defender's Office to determine the indigency guidelines and whether your income qualifies for a court appointed attorney.  There is a gap between low or no income persons who qualify for court appointed counsel and those who are able to afford private attorney's fees.  Many persons who fall into this gap end up representing themselves pro se.  Harsh fact, but it exists and I don't pull punches.

        4.  If the prosecutors waive jail, even if you are indigent, you will not be eligible for court appointed counsel.

        5.  Traffic infractions in the state court system have been decriminalized and do not carry jail penalties.  Court appointed counsel is not available.

        1.  Unfortunately, If you are indigent and face adverse action against your driving privileges, assistance is not available through the Public Defender's Office (criminal defense representation) or through Pikes Peak Legal Services / Arkansas River Legal Aid - local legal aid.  Court appointed counsel or legal aid is not available.  You must retain legal counsel or act pro se (represent yourself).

        2.  You may find some information within the DOR / DMV section of this website.  I have set forth representation fee and cost estimates in my web pages.

        3. The El Paso County Bar Association sponsors the Lawyer Referral Service Program. You may call (719) 636-1532 during normal business hours and receive a referral to an attorney for a first consultation. Refer to link for the cost of an attorney consultation.  You may possibly find a slow pay private attorney through this program if payment of fees is a problem; mention your needs when calling.

        3.  SELF HELP LEGAL FORMS hardcopy packets and on-line forms
                a.  Dissolution of marriage, legal separation, paternity & genetic testing, adoption, allocation of parental responsibility, parenting time, child support guideline computations, civil injunction, including domestic abuse.  My office is computerized, therefore I will not use these forms.
                b.  Any person may obtain a packet of family law legal forms:                        
                        1.  Hardcopy Legal Forms - local access to forms
                        2.  Colorado Supreme Court Legal Forms - available by internet download
                        3.  Colorado Supreme Court Child Support Guideline Computation Worksheets - on-line instructions & downloads or 
                        4.  Child Support and Spousal Maintenance Software  (commercial site - cost involved & computer installation required)
                        5.  Military and Civil Service Defense Employee Pay and Benefits - links to military and civil service defense employee pay and benefits
                        6.  Form DD-2058 - affidavit of residency.  Obtain at your finance office or refer to link.  Military personnel must claim Colorado as their home of record to file for dissolution of marriage in Colorado.
                c.  Colorado Revised Statutes (CRS) are available in the local law library supported by the El Paso County Bar Association - you may ask a librarian for assistance in locating statute books.
                d.  Colorado Bar Association - additional on-line legal research
                e.  Governmental agencies contact information - refer to the Courts and Government Agencies community resources page.
                f.  Additional community resources, links and Colorado forms - refer to the Resources Gateway page.
 

        4.  Self Help Clinics  Refer to link for clinic dates, times and locations
                a.  Self help clinics are offered at the courthouse for people doing their own divorces.  Although the clinics are for dissolution of marriage, during the first 30 minutes when a video is shown, the volunteer attorneys would likely answer adoption, paternity or other family law questions.  
                b.  The clinics are referred to as pro-se - that means self representation without legal counsel.
                c.  There is no sign up, simply appear with a smile on your face - it's absolutely free.
                d.  To make certain the public perceives this as a strictly volunteer activity, attorneys will likely neither identify themselves nor accept cases from any session.

        5. The El Paso County Bar Association sponsors the Lawyer Referral Service Program. You may call (719) 636-1532 during normal business hours and receive a referral to an attorney for a first consultation. Refer to link for the cost of an attorney consultation.  You may possibly find a slow pay private attorney through this program if payment of fees is a problem; mention your needs when calling.

        Each case is different; law can be complicated.

        In criminal, DUI and traffic cases favorable plea bargains are obtained based upon a number of reasons; the prosecution's concern for possible loss at trial can be a major factor. Sentencing is based upon the specifics of your particular case and applicable law.

        I have previously been retained to assist clients with criminal and traffic problems who had followed advice of "street corner lawyers."  Various clients had lost driving privileges or had bench warrants issued for their arrest. It is unlawful for non-lawyers to give legal advice, however that advice is bountiful. Be careful.

        Regarding sealing criminal justice records.  I have dismissed a lawsuit previously filed by other counsel in the wrong court and re-filed in the proper court.  Although municipal court did not have jurisdiction due to pre-emption under state law, res judicata (one chance to litigate) could have been a problem had dismissal not been sought prior to entry of orders in the municipal court.

        In family law cases, I have been retained by clients who initially undertook the case with the assistance of an unsupervised paralegal or local JAG office and were on a disaster course.  I no longer review paralegal pleadings or military drafted separation agreements and simply decline the case at the outset.  A couple former cases come to mind.
                1.)  Client had agreed to a support order for a child who was born before he met his wife.  The issue was res judicata - he had become the legal father and could not attack the support order since it was not appealed with the allowed time.  
                2.)  Client filed a dissolution of marriage petition alleging the parties had one child of the marriage - again the child was born before he met his wife.  Had the wife admitted the allegation before a motion to amend was filed, he would have become the legal father with a support obligation regardless of birth parentage.  
                3.)  Documents drafted by a local JAG office (attorney not licensed in Colorado) where parenting plan, support or property / debt provisions were unjust and far from Colorado law.  

        In all types of cases I've listened to prospective clients adamantly inform me of his or her rights or planned case strategy and tactics based upon advice received over the back yard fence from a neighbor who'd heard about a friend of a friend.  A lawyer just can't compete with that level of competence and expertise.  I'll listen attentively and assess the merits, but if the prospective client doesn't or won't recognize realities I do not attempt an attorney-client relation.
 
        I have seen numerous errors in pleadings and settlement agreements which would constitute malpractice if committed by an attorney.  Just as significant rights can be affected in DUI and criminal cases, family law or debt collection cases can be lost and / or perhaps judgment & fees + costs awarded to the opposing party if inappropriately commenced or litigated.  Significant right may be involved.  Do not judge what will or should happen to you on the basis of what happened a friend or "someone in the know."  Do not rely upon the "street corner lawyers" or unsupervised paralegals.  Seek professional advice from competent counsel licensed in Colorado to commence or defend your case properly from the outset.  If private counsel fees are not feasible, refer to alternatives.