Third Degree Assault

Third Degree Assault cases in Centennial are handled by the Arapahoe County Combined Court, which sits in the 18th Judicial District. As a combined court, it hears both county-court and district-court matters.

Alexis explains: "Misdemeanor assault is going to be pretty minor injuries. So, the the most common charge we see when it comes to assault in the third degree, a class one misdemeanor, is knowingly or recklessly causing bodily injury to another. Bodily injury in Colorado can be anything from a scrape, a cut to somebody just saying, "I felt pain." That would be an example would be if you punch somebody in the face and they get a scratch. That's going to be assault in the third degree."

Alexis explains: "So for strangulation to be actually charged under the Criminal Code, there has to be that underlying assault. But then the act that is done has to be an act. Sometimes people say choking, but it's actually strangling putting your hands around another person or causing something to cut off airflow to another person."

Adams County falls within the 17th Judicial District, and Third Degree Assault cases there are heard in the Adams County Justice Center.

Alexis explains: "What's crucially important is that if you find yourself unfortunately charged with a strangulation, you need to have a criminal defense attorney that can dig in and determine whether it is actually rising to that level of strangulation to warrant a felony charge. Or whether this is a third degree assault or even a harassment that was wrongly charged because someone gave a keyword like neck."

Right Law Group's guide explains: "The crime is a Class 1 misdemeanor with an extraordinary risk that attracts, at maximum, a sentence of 18 months in jail and/or a maximum fine of $1,000."

Third Degree Assault cases connected to Adams County are heard in the Adams County Justice Center, part of the 17th Judicial District.

In Denver County, Third Degree Assault charges are handled through the Denver County Court & District Court, part of the 2nd Judicial District. Misdemeanor-level matters are heard on the county-court side and felony-level matters on the district-court side of the same courthouse.

Third Degree Assault charges in Adams County are prosecuted by the 17th Judicial District Attorney's Office, the elected District Attorney for the 17th Judicial District.

Alexis explains: "you need to make sure you have a criminal defense attorney that can parse out what was actually supposed to be charged so that you actually have the justice and the opportunity to fight the charges that you should have been charged with not someone saying well, my neck was involved in some way so automatically, you're facing a felony charge."