Fort Collins Criminal Defense Lawyers

Arrested in Larimer County? Don't talk to anyone until you talk to us. Local defense attorneys protecting your record, your freedom, and your future.

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⚡ Time-sensitive: The first 48 hours after an arrest are critical. Call us before you speak to detectives, prosecutors, or anyone else.

40+
Years in Northern Colorado
1981
Serving Larimer County Since
3
Local Attorneys
Local
Old Town Fort Collins Office

Being charged with a crime does not make you a bad person, and it does not mean the case against you is as strong as it feels right now. What it does mean is that a system with its own rules, deadlines, and habits has started moving, and that you need someone standing between you and it who knows how that system works in this county specifically.

Liggett & Goodman has practiced in Fort Collins since 1981. Our office is at 110 E Oak Street in Old Town, a few blocks from the Larimer County Justice Center at 201 La Porte Avenue, where your case will almost certainly be heard. Larimer County sits in Colorado's 8th Judicial District, and we appear in front of the judges and magistrates there routinely.

Criminal Charges We Defend

DUI & DWAI

Impaired driving charges in Larimer and Weld counties, including the separate DMV license case.

Drug Possession

Possession, distribution, and paraphernalia charges, including treatment-based alternatives.

Domestic Violence

Mandatory-arrest cases and the protection orders that come with them.

Sexual Assault

Serious charges that demand immediate, experienced, discreet defense.

Juvenile Defense

Protecting a young person's record, school standing, and future options.

Assault & Violent Crimes

Misdemeanor and felony assault, menacing, and related charges.

Theft & Property Crimes

Shoplifting, burglary, and criminal mischief across Colorado's offense tiers.

Record Sealing

Clearing an old case from public view under Colorado's sealing statutes.

What Happens After a Larimer County Arrest

Most people have never been through this and have no idea what comes next. Here is the honest sequence for a typical Larimer County case. Timelines vary with the charge and the court's calendar, so treat this as the general shape rather than a promise.

1. Booking at the Larimer County Jail

After an arrest anywhere in the county, you are typically transported to the Larimer County Jail for booking. Assume that phone calls from the jail are recorded and that anything you say on them can be used. Talk about logistics, not about your case.

2. Advisement and bond, generally within about 48 hours

A judge tells you what you are charged with and sets release conditions. Depending on the charge and your history, a personal recognizance bond may be available, or the court may set a monetary amount. If you are unfamiliar with how bonds work, our explainer on bail bonds is a useful starting point. We can appear at this hearing and argue for conditions you can actually live with.

3. Filing of charges and arraignment

The arresting agency's report is not the charge. Prosecutors decide what is actually filed, and that decision sometimes differs from what the officer wrote on the paperwork you were handed. At arraignment you enter a plea, which at this stage is almost always not guilty so that the defense can review discovery.

4. Discovery and investigation

We obtain the police reports, body-worn and dash camera footage, dispatch recordings, lab results, and witness statements, then compare what the file actually proves against what the charge alleges. This is the stage where cases quietly get better or worse, and it is why the early weeks matter so much.

5. Pretrial motions and negotiation

Where the evidence supports it, we file motions to suppress statements taken in violation of your rights or evidence obtained from a stop or search that should not have happened. In parallel, we negotiate, and a well-supported motion is often what makes a prosecutor willing to talk seriously.

6. Resolution or trial

Most cases resolve short of a jury trial, through dismissal, a diversion or deferred outcome, or a negotiated plea. Some should be tried. We give you a candid read of the risk on both paths, and the decision stays yours.

Why a Local Defense Attorney Matters in the 8th Judicial District

Criminal law is state law, but criminal court is intensely local. Larimer County has its own filing habits, its own diversion and treatment options, its own docket rhythms, and its own expectations about how motions are presented and how quickly matters get set. An attorney who is in the Justice Center on La Porte Avenue week after week knows which arguments get traction, which alternatives to incarceration are realistically available here, and how long a given division actually takes to reach a hearing.

That is not a marketing point. It is the difference between a defense built on how things work in this courthouse and a defense built on how things work in general.

What to Do Right Now

Stop talking about the case

Not to officers, not to the alleged victim, not on jail phones, and not on social media. Screenshots and recordings turn into exhibits.

Read your paperwork carefully

Your bond conditions and next court date are on it. Missing a date or violating a condition creates a second, entirely avoidable problem.

Follow every protection order exactly

Even if the other person contacts you first, and even if you are certain it is a misunderstanding. Ask us before you respond to anything.

Preserve what helps you

Messages, receipts, photos, timestamps, and the names of anyone who was present. Evidence disappears quickly, especially video.

Meet Your Attorneys

Sarah E. Liggett

Criminal defense and family law for Larimer County clients.

Michael D. Liggett

Northern Colorado practice and mediation for over four decades.

Gail B. Goodman

Probate, guardianship, conservatorship, and family matters.

Common Questions After a Larimer County Arrest

Should I talk to the police before I hire an attorney?
No. Politely say that you are not answering questions and that you want a lawyer, then stop talking. You are not being rude and you are not making yourself look guilty by asserting a constitutional right. Officers are permitted to question you in ways that feel conversational and reassuring, and statements you believe are helping you are very often the strongest evidence a prosecutor later has. This applies to phone calls from the jail as well, which are generally recorded. Give your name and identifying information, ask for an attorney, and call us.
What actually happens in the first 48 hours after an arrest in Larimer County?
After an arrest in Fort Collins, Loveland, Wellington, Estes Park, or anywhere else in Larimer County, you are typically transported to the Larimer County Jail for booking. From there you generally appear before a judge within roughly 48 hours for an advisement and a bond hearing. At that hearing the court tells you what you are charged with and sets the conditions of your release, which can include a monetary bond, a personal recognizance bond, protection order conditions, or monitoring. Having an attorney present to argue for realistic release conditions is often the single most valuable thing that happens in week one.
How much does a criminal defense attorney cost in Fort Collins?
It depends on the level of the charge and how much work the case genuinely requires. A municipal or low-level misdemeanor resolved early costs a fraction of a felony that goes to a contested jury trial with expert witnesses. We quote fees directly and in plain language during your consultation, before you commit to anything, so you are not guessing. We would also rather tell you honestly that a case is likely to resolve quickly than sell you a defense you do not need.
Can a Colorado criminal record be sealed later?
Many Colorado records can eventually be sealed, but eligibility and waiting periods vary a great deal depending on the offense and how the case ended. Dismissals and acquittals are generally the easiest to seal. Convictions for certain offenses can be sealed after a statutory waiting period, while some categories, including many serious and sex-related offenses, are excluded entirely. Because how your case is resolved today directly controls whether it can be sealed years from now, sealing is worth discussing at the beginning of a case rather than at the end.
Will my case have to go to trial?
Most criminal cases in Colorado resolve without a jury trial, through a dismissal, a diversion or deferred outcome, or a negotiated plea. That said, the willingness and ability to try a case is what gives negotiation any weight at all. We prepare a case as though it may be tried, evaluate the evidence honestly with you, and then let you make an informed decision. The choice to accept an offer or go to trial is always yours, and we will tell you candidly what we think the risks are on both sides.
What is the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony in Colorado?
Colorado sorts offenses into petty offenses, misdemeanors, and felonies, with felonies being the most serious and carrying the possibility of a sentence to the Department of Corrections. Misdemeanors are generally handled in county court and carry shorter potential jail sentences served locally. The class within each category matters enormously for the penalty range. Felony convictions also carry lasting collateral consequences for firearm rights, professional licenses, immigration status, and housing. Our guide to crime classifications in Colorado explains the tiers in more detail, and we will tell you exactly where your charge sits.
Do you handle cases outside Fort Collins?
Yes. We regularly appear in the Larimer County Justice Center at 201 La Porte Avenue in Fort Collins, which handles cases from across Larimer County, and we also represent clients in Weld County courts in Greeley and in municipal courts in Loveland and Windsor. Where your case is filed depends on which agency made the arrest and where the alleged conduct occurred. If you are not sure which court your paperwork points to, bring it to a consultation or read it to us over the phone and we will tell you.

Send Us the Details

If this is urgent, call us at 970-482-9770. Otherwise send a note and we'll get back to you. Everything you share is confidential.

Prefer to talk now? Call 970-482-9770

Don't Wait. Call Now.

Every hour matters early in a criminal case. Speak with a Fort Collins defense lawyer today.

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Trusted by Northern Colorado Clients Since 1981

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