Drug possession in Colorado
You were charged with drug possession in Colorado. That means the State claims you knowingly possessed a controlled substance. It is an accusation. The Reisch Law Firm defends drug cases in state court and in federal court when the file goes there. Call (303) 291-0555.
What this charge means
Possession charges turn on knowledge and control of a controlled substance. Actual possession (on your person) and constructive possession (in a place the State says you controlled) are both theories prosecutors use. A pill in a console, powder in a bag, or residue in a pipe can be the exhibit. The lab still has to identify the substance when identity is contested.
Amount and substance type affect charging. This page does not invent felony classes or weight cut-offs. Your complaint controls. Distribution or possession-with-intent counts are different from simple possession.
How these cases usually start
Traffic stops, warrant searches, probation searches, and smell contacts. Statements in the back of a patrol car create problems. Bond may include testing and treatment conditions.
Issues that decide these cases
- Search and seizure. Stops, warrants, and probation searches are litigated in court.
- Possession vs. proximity. Shared cars and shared houses.
- Substance identity and weight. Lab proof.
- Intent to distribute indicators. Packaging and scales can push a filing upward. Those facts are still contested.
- Federal adoption. Some files move to federal court.
Penalties (confirm before you rely on this)
The class of this offense and the jail or prison range depend on the current statute, the date of the alleged offense, and any sentence enhancers on the complaint. We will not publish a class or a year range on this page as if it were locked 2026 law. Your charging document and the current Colorado Revised Statutes control.
Enhancers can include prior convictions, a domestic-violence designation, a protection-order count, a weapon fact, or consecutive sentences on other counts. Probation eligibility is not automatic. Past results do not guarantee future results. This page is not a promise about your sentence.
Court process in plain English
After an arrest, advisement is usually the first court date. The judge covers rights and bond. Advisement is not arraignment. You do not have to enter a plea there.
The district attorney decides whether to file, add counts, drop counts, or decline. Felony cases that start in county court may have a preliminary-hearing track before district-court arraignment. Discovery, motions, and trial setting follow if the case does not resolve.
Bond is a court order, not a finding of guilt. Conditions can include no contact, no weapons, testing, and GPS. Violating a condition can create a new filing. If you have questions about a condition, call the firm before you guess.
Why people call this firm on this charge
People call because their charge is listed, because they need a trial lawyer, or because a family member is in custody and the next court date is soon. Wrongfully accused or guilty as charged, the job is the same: test the State’s proof and protect the record.
The Reisch Law Firm works from one office in Westminster and takes cases around Colorado. We try cases in Colorado state court and in federal court when the case goes there. Call (303) 291-0555.
Related Colorado charges
What to do now
Call (303) 291-0555. Tell us the county and what the complaint or ticket says. The Reisch Law Firm defends Colorado criminal cases from one office in Westminster and takes cases around the state.
Call (303) 291-0555
The Reisch Law Firm
1490 West 121st Avenue, Suite 202, Westminster, CO 80234
Phone: (303) 291-0555
Back to Colorado Criminal Defense (A-Z)
Past results do not guarantee future results. Attorney advertising.
This page is general information. It is not legal advice and it does not create an attorney-client relationship. The charging document and the current Colorado Revised Statutes control.
