DUI Attorney in Lakewood

Arrested for DUI? You Have 7 Days to Protect Your License

When Colorado police make a DUI arrest, they typically confiscate your physical license and issue a Notice of Revocation at the scene. From that moment, you have 7 days to request an administrative hearing with the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles. If you took a blood test, that window runs from when you receive the results, not from the arrest date. Miss that deadline, and your license suspension becomes automatic, regardless of what happens in the criminal case. A Jefferson County DUI arrest runs on two parallel tracks: a DMV Express Consent Revocation proceeding and a separate criminal case in Jefferson County Court or District Court. Both require prompt action, and the clock is already running.

I’m Joseph A. Lazzara, and I handle DUI defense for Lakewood residents. If you’ve been arrested, don’t wait. Call (303) 429-6200 for a free consultation today.

My Certification in Standardized Field Sobriety Testing sets my DUI practice apart from general criminal defense. That certification reflects the same curriculum police officers complete before administering roadside tests. So when I evaluate a field sobriety test in your case, I’m reading it the same way the officer was trained to administer it, and I know exactly where those procedures break down. Combined with access to forensic toxicologists who can scrutinize blood and breath test results, I bring a technical depth to DUI defense that many attorneys don’t offer. I’ve handled cases across multiple Colorado counties and thousands of DUI matters in my career. I’m prepared to fight for Lakewood residents at every stage.

DUI, DWAI & DUID Charges Under Colorado Law

Not every impaired driving arrest produces the same charge. Colorado law draws clear distinctions, and the charge you face shapes the penalties, the procedural track, and the defense strategy available to you.

DUI (Driving Under the Influence)
A DUI charge applies when a driver’s blood alcohol content (BAC) measures 0.08% or higher, or when alcohol or drugs demonstrably impair the ability to operate a vehicle safely.

DWAI (Driving While Ability Impaired)
DWAI applies at lower BAC levels, typically 0.05% to 0.079%, when impairment affects the driver even to the slightest degree. It carries its own penalties, including jail exposure, license points, and probation. Many people underestimate it because the charge sounds less serious than DUI. It isn’t.

DUID (Driving Under the Influence of Drugs)
DUID covers impairment by marijuana, prescription drugs, or other controlled substances. Because most drugs don’t have a per se BAC limit, prosecutors rely on field sobriety test performance and toxicology reports to establish impairment. That methodology is challengeable on multiple fronts.

Colorado’s Express Consent Law requires drivers to submit to chemical testing after arrest. Refusing a test triggers automatic license suspension, and the refusal itself can be introduced as evidence in the criminal case. A charge is not a conviction. Police and prosecutors can make procedural errors, testing equipment requires proper maintenance and calibration, and how field sobriety tests are administered matters. Each of those points is a potential avenue of defense.

DUI Penalties in Colorado: What a Conviction Can Mean

The penalties for a DUI conviction are serious at every level, and they don’t stop at the courtroom.

Criminal Penalties by Offense Level

A first-offense DUI can bring fines up to $1,000, up to one year in jail, license suspension, probation, and mandatory alcohol education. A second DUI carries a mandatory minimum of 10 days in jail, longer license revocation, and ignition interlock device requirements. If the prior offense occurred within five years, that jail time must be served in actual custody with no option for home detention. A fourth or subsequent DUI or DWAI conviction becomes a class 4 felony under C.R.S. § 42-4-1301, with the sentencing exposure that comes with a felony record.

Aggravating factors escalate everything. An elevated BAC, a minor in the vehicle, or an accident causing injury can increase charges and push Jefferson County prosecutors toward harsher sentencing. License suspension length varies by offense history and whether you refused chemical testing: a first-offense refusal results in a one-year license revocation under Colorado DMV rules. Jefferson County Court may offer in-home detention as an alternative to incarceration for some first-time aggravated and second-offense cases, depending on the judge and the facts presented.

Collateral Consequences Beyond the Courtroom

A conviction follows you long after the case closes. Higher insurance rates, damaged employment prospects, restrictions on professional licensing, and limitations on international travel are all real outcomes that a criminal penalty alone doesn’t capture.

DUI Case Types I Handle for Lakewood Clients

The defense approach varies significantly depending on the type of charge. I handle the full range of impaired driving matters for Lakewood residents.

First-Offense DUI
A first DUI is a misdemeanor, but it isn’t minor. It establishes the record that determines how any future arrest is charged and sentenced, which means it deserves the same thorough defense as any other case.

Repeat & Multiple-Offense DUI
Prior convictions directly affect what prosecutors can seek and what mandatory minimums apply. I examine every prior police interaction and record to identify available defenses.

Felony DUI
A fourth or subsequent DUI is charged as a felony and proceeds in Jefferson County District Court. It’s a distinct procedural track with more severe sentencing exposure than County Court. Defending at this level requires experience with felony proceedings.

DUID
Drugged driving cases, including those involving marijuana or prescription drugs, require careful analysis of how field sobriety tests were administered and whether the toxicology report methodology holds up. I work with forensic toxicologists on these cases when the facts call for it.

Aggravated DUI
High BAC readings, a minor in the vehicle, or an accident involving injury can elevate charges and sentencing recommendations. These cases require a defense built around the aggravating factors themselves, not just the underlying charge.

What to Expect: The Jefferson County DUI Process

A DUI arrest in Lakewood sets two separate proceedings in motion at the same time. Understanding both is essential to protecting yourself.

The Administrative DMV Hearing

The Colorado DMV Express Consent Revocation Hearing is a civil proceeding decided on a preponderance of the evidence standard. It’s a lower bar than the beyond-a-reasonable-doubt standard used in the criminal case. For Jefferson County cases, the hearing is typically held at the Colorado DMV office in Lakewood. The 7-day deadline to request it is firm. I handle the administrative process alongside the criminal defense so nothing falls through the cracks.

The Criminal Court Proceedings

Misdemeanor DUI and DWAI cases from Lakewood are filed at the Jefferson County Courthouse in Golden. Felony DUI charges and vehicular assault or homicide matters proceed in Jefferson County District Court. At a first appearance, you enter a plea, and pretrial supervision conditions, which may include regular urine screening, are set. The case then moves through pretrial hearings and, if necessary, trial. I guide clients through each stage from the initial appearance through resolution, and I’m prepared to take a case to trial when that’s the right call.

Speak with a Lakewood DUI Defense Attorney Today

I’ve been recognized for my work in DUI defense, and I’m one of only a few attorneys in Colorado certified in Standardized Field Sobriety Testing. That certification, combined with thousands of DUI cases, hundreds of trials, and direct access to forensic toxicologists and reconstruction professionals, means I bring real technical depth to every defense I build.

The 7-day window to protect your license closes fast. If you’re facing a DUI charge in the Lakewood area, call me now for a free consultation, and let’s talk about your case.

Contact Law Office of Joseph A. Lazzara, P.C. at (303) 429-6200 to schedule your free consultation.