“Denver Probation” – A Legal Guide to How It Works

Most people convicted of criminal offenses in Denver are eligible for probation instead of incarceration.

However, you must follow all the conditions the judge imposes. Falling short on just one of your probationary terms could get your probation revoked and land you in jail.

Below, I answer the top five questions about Denver County Court Probation.

1. What will I have to do on probation?

Colorado probation terms vary by case. Ten common conditions of probation in Denver are:

1. Abstaining from drugs and alcohol;
2. Submitting to random drug and alcohol testing;
3. Paying court fines, probation fees, and victim restitution;
4. Completing community service (such as for Habitat for Humanity, Metro Denver);
5. Going to counseling (such as for substance abuse in drug cases or domestic violence counseling);
6. Taking an education class (such as Level II alcohol education classes in DUI cases);
7. Home confinement;
8. Wearing an alcohol detection anklet;
9. Wearing an electronic monitoring anklet;
10. Not possessing any firearms.

Supervised v. Unsupervised Probation

You will be assigned to either:

• supervised probation (where you report to your probation officer) or
• unsupervised probation (where you report to the court).

Supervised probation is more intense and costs $50 a month. Unsupervised probation has no additional costs and is typically granted in less serious cases.

Depending on your case, probation lasts from a few weeks to a few years. Learn more about felony probation and misdemeanor probation.¹

Probation Records are Public

Colorado probation information is available

• on the applicable district court website or
• by calling the court clerk.

However, juvenile probation information remains confidential.

2. What happens if I violate probation in Colorado?

If Denver County Probation believes you violated probation, their officers can arrest you. If you deny violating probation, the court will hold a probation revocation hearing – which is very similar to a trial.

If your judge finds that you did not commit a probation violation, then you will be allowed to remain on probation as before. If the judge determines that you did violate probation, the judge can either:

• let you stay on probation (usually with more severe terms than before); or
• revoke your probation and remand you to jail to serve out the remainder of your sentence.

Anyone suspected of violating probation should have an attorney represent them at the hearing. In many cases, I have persuaded judges to give my clients a second chance.²

3. How do I contact my probation officer?

Call Denver County Probation Services at (303) 607-7104. The Denver Adult Probation county office is located at:

303 W. Colfax Ave., 5th floor
Denver CO 80204

The hours are Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The general email address is [email protected].

(Denver Juvenile Probation is located in the same building on West Colfax but in Suite# 1401. The phone number is 303-607-7400.)

4. Can I travel out of state?

Depending on the terms of your probation, you may need to get court permission prior to traveling outside of Colorado. If you are unsure, contact the Denver County Probation Office at (303) 607-7104.

If you intend to move to another state, you definitely need to notify Denver County Probation as soon as possible. The chief probation officer has to consent to the move and complete a host of paperwork for the interstate probation transfer to be legal under the interstate compact.³

If you wish to move from the county of Denver to a different Colorado county, you also need advanced permission from the probation department. However, the transfer process is much simpler than if you were moving states.

5. Can I finish probation early?

As long as you have been compliant for a significant period of time, Denver District Court- and County Court judges may agree to release you from probation early.

You would first need to file a motion with the court asking for early termination of probation. The motion has to include the following information:

• your name;
• your case number;
• your attorney;
• your sentencing date;
• the expected end date of probation; and
• reasons why you should be granted early termination of probation (“good cause”).

The judge may decide to hold a hearing first before deciding on the motion.⁴

Additional Resources

For more information about Denver probation laws, go to our related articles:

• Can I have guns in my home while I am on probation in Colorado? – Discussion of whether firearms are ever allowable while on probation.
• Can I have guns if I am on DUI probation in Colorado? – Discussion of whether a DUI case will cause you to surrender your firearms while on probation.
• Colorado DUI Probation Violation – 10 Ways It Can Happen – Common causes for probation revocations.
• I was sentenced to prison and probation in Colorado. Can I appeal? – Information on how people sentenced to prison in Colorado may not also be sentenced to probation.
• What is a “deferred judgment and sentence” in Colorado? – Explanation of how a deferred judgment/sentence works and why it is beneficial.
• Colorado’s “Sex Offender Intensive Supervision” Program – How SOISP works.

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Legal References