Larimer County DUI Attorneys

A Colorado DUI starts two cases at once: a criminal case at the Larimer County Justice Center and a separate DMV case about your license. The DMV clock is the short one.

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⏰ Short DMV deadline: After a refusal or a failed test, Colorado drivers generally have only about seven days to request a DMV hearing. Call today rather than counting days yourself.

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

Almost everyone we meet after a DUI arrest says a version of the same thing: this is not who I am. You are probably employed, probably have no record, and are probably more frightened about your job, your license, and what your family will think than about jail. That is a reasonable set of worries, and most of them are addressable.

Liggett & Goodman has practiced in Fort Collins since 1981. Our office at 110 E Oak Street in Old Town is a short walk from the Larimer County Justice Center at 201 La Porte Avenue, where your criminal case will be heard. Larimer County sits in Colorado's 8th Judicial District, and we are in that building regularly.

Two Cases, Two Clocks

This is the single most important thing to understand about a Colorado DUI, and it is the thing most people learn too late. One arrest produces two entirely separate proceedings, run by different institutions, on different timelines, with different rules.

1. The criminal case

Filed by prosecutors and heard at the Larimer County Justice Center in Fort Collins. This is the case that determines whether you are convicted of DUI or DWAI and what the sentence looks like. It typically moves over months, through arraignment, discovery, pretrial conferences, motions, and either a negotiated resolution or a trial.

2. The DMV license case

An administrative matter run by the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles under the express consent law. It is about your driving privileges, not guilt, and it moves far faster. You generally have only about seven days after a refusal or a failed test to request a hearing, and the deadline does not wait for the criminal case to develop.

A resolution in one does not automatically resolve the other. It is entirely possible to prevail in court and still face administrative action on your license, or the reverse. That is why we handle both together from day one, and why calling early genuinely matters here in a way it does not in every kind of case.

Where a Larimer County DUI Case Goes

DUI arrests in this county come from several different agencies. You may have been stopped by Fort Collins police, the Loveland Police Department, the Larimer County Sheriff's Office, the Colorado State Patrol, or in Windsor by Windsor Police. Which agency made the stop affects what the report and the video look like, and it affects who we are dealing with on discovery, but for most drivers the case still ends up in the same place: the Larimer County Justice Center on La Porte Avenue.

Geography inside the county matters less than people expect. Whether you were pulled over leaving Old Town, heading south on US-287 toward Loveland, or coming off the I-25 corridor, the criminal case is filed in Larimer County. Lower-level traffic and city ordinance matters are sometimes handled in municipal court instead, which is a meaningfully different process. If you are not certain which court your citation points to, read it to us over the phone and we will tell you in a minute.

Windsor is the exception worth flagging. It straddles the Larimer and Weld county line, so a Windsor stop can end up in either county depending on where it happened. Our Windsor attorney page explains that split in more detail.

DUI and DWAI Are Different Charges

Colorado treats driving under the influence and driving while ability impaired as two distinct offenses rather than two grades of one. DUI generally alleges that you were substantially incapable of driving safely and is commonly associated with a blood alcohol content at or above 0.08. DWAI alleges a lesser degree of impairment at a lower range. DWAI typically carries lighter consequences, which is exactly why a reduction from DUI to DWAI is a real and worthwhile objective in many Larimer County cases, even when a complete dismissal is not on the table.

What Is Generally at Stake

Colorado DUI consequences depend on your prior record, your test results, whether anyone was injured, and the current version of the statute. The categories below are a general orientation, not a prediction about your case. For a fuller breakdown, see our guide to Colorado DUI penalties.

First offense

  • * Jail is typically possible but often avoidable
  • * Fines, court costs, and surcharges
  • * License revocation, with interlock reinstatement often available
  • * Alcohol education and useful public service are common conditions

Repeat offense

  • * Jail exposure generally increases significantly
  • * Higher fines and longer probation
  • * Longer revocation periods
  • * Ignition interlock and monitored sobriety are typical

Felony-level DUI

  • * Certain repeat offenses are charged as felonies
  • * Prison is a possible outcome
  • * A felony record with lasting collateral effects
  • * Immediate defense counsel is strongly advised

Penalties, deadlines, and reinstatement rules change. Nothing here is a guarantee of any particular outcome, and no attorney can promise one. Please confirm how current law applies to your facts with us directly.

How We Defend Larimer County DUI Cases

  • ✓ Examine whether the initial stop had a lawful basis in the first place
  • ✓ Review body-worn and dash camera footage against what the report claims
  • ✓ Question how roadside maneuvers were administered, scored, and interpreted
  • ✓ Scrutinize breath and blood testing procedure, calibration, and chain of custody
  • ✓ Represent you at the DMV express consent hearing, not just in court
  • ✓ Pursue treatment-based and alternative sentencing where it fits the situation
  • ✓ Take a case to trial when the evidence does not support the charge

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.

Larimer County DUI Questions

How long do I really have to request a DMV hearing after a Larimer County DUI?
The window is short. Colorado is commonly described as giving you seven days from a refusal or a failed chemical test to request a hearing with the Division of Motor Vehicles, and the paperwork the officer handed you generally starts that clock immediately. Because the exact deadline and how it is counted can depend on the facts and on current DMV procedure, do not try to calculate it yourself. Call us right away with your paperwork in hand. Missing this request is one of the few mistakes in a DUI case that is very difficult to undo later.
What is the difference between DUI and DWAI in Colorado?
They are two distinct charges, not degrees of the same one. DUI, driving under the influence, generally alleges that alcohol or drugs rendered you substantially incapable of driving safely, and is commonly associated with a blood alcohol content at or above 0.08. DWAI, driving while ability impaired, alleges a lesser degree of impairment and is commonly associated with a lower range. DWAI typically carries lighter consequences, which is why a reduction from DUI to DWAI is a meaningful outcome in many cases. Both are criminal charges and both can affect your license.
Can I refuse a breath or blood test in Colorado?
Colorado has an express consent law, which means that by driving here you have generally agreed to submit to chemical testing when an officer has the required basis to request it. A refusal typically triggers its own administrative license consequences through the DMV, and those consequences can apply even if the criminal case later resolves in your favor. Refusal also has evidentiary implications in the criminal case. This is genuinely a situation where the right answer depends on the specific facts, so call us before you make assumptions about what a refusal did or did not do.
Where will my Larimer County DUI case actually be heard?
Larimer County sits in Colorado's 8th Judicial District, and most DUI cases from Fort Collins, Loveland, Wellington, Timnath, Berthoud, and the surrounding area are handled at the Larimer County Justice Center at 201 La Porte Avenue in Fort Collins. It does not usually matter whether you were stopped in Old Town, on US-287, or along the I-25 corridor. Your case lands in the same courthouse. Some lower-level traffic and ordinance matters are heard in municipal court instead. Read us your citation over the phone and we will tell you which court it points to.
Can a DUI charge be reduced or dismissed?
Sometimes, and it depends entirely on the evidence. The questions that matter are whether the stop itself was lawful, whether roadside maneuvers were administered and interpreted correctly, whether the breath or blood testing followed required procedure and chain of custody, and whether the timing of the test actually establishes impairment at the moment of driving. Where those links are weak, a reduction to DWAI or a dismissal can be realistic. Where they are strong, our job shifts to sentencing and to protecting your license and your record. We will tell you honestly which situation you are in.
Do I need an attorney for a first DUI?
A first offense is still a criminal charge with a permanent record, a separate license case, and consequences that reach into employment, insurance, and professional licensing. It also runs on two tracks at once, with the DMV matter moving on a much faster clock than the court case. Many people who intend to simply plead guilty and move on are surprised by what the sentence actually includes. At minimum, talk to a defense attorney and understand what you are facing before you decide how to handle it.
What happens to my license while the case is pending?
The criminal case and the DMV license case are separate proceedings with separate deadlines and separate outcomes. Requesting a DMV hearing on time is what preserves your ability to contest the administrative action, and it also generally affects whether you can keep driving while that process plays out. Colorado also has interlock-based reinstatement pathways that let many drivers return to the road sooner than they expect. The specifics depend on your record, your test results, and current DMV rules, so bring us your paperwork and we will map it out.

Send Us Your DUI Paperwork Details

If this is urgent, call us at 970-482-9770. Otherwise send a note and we'll get back to you. Have your citation and any DMV paperwork handy -- the dates on them matter.

Prefer to talk now? Call 970-482-9770

Protect Your License. Call Today.

The DMV deadline is short and it does not pause while you think it over. Speak with a Larimer County DUI lawyer now.

Call 970-482-9770 Send a Message

Trusted by Larimer County Drivers Since 1981

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