A District Attorney (D.A.) is the prosecuting officer of a criminal case (i.e., the official who represents the state government in the prosecution of criminal offenses). Most states also have county and city prosecutors who represent their respective jurisdiction in a similar manner. After a suspect is arrested, in most cases, the D.A. will determine whether to file charges or convene a grand jury to decide (states typically have rules for which types of cases require a grand jury indictment).

If you've been charged with a crime, it's important to understand that the prosecutor in your case is not on your side, no matter how cordial they may appear to be in person. The U.S. criminal justice system is adversarial, meaning that the prosecution's job is to make the case against you and it's up to you and your defense attorney to present your case. So, for example, if you and your defense counsel don't raise an objection or exercise a right during the process, no one else will do it for you and failing to do so could be interpreted as a waiver of that objection or right.

Communicating with the Prosecution

While the prosecutor is your adversary in the process, it doesn't mean that you and your defense team should never enter talk to the prosecution. In fact, if you're represented by an experienced criminal defense attorney, discussions with the government can often reveal their case strategy and what evidence they plan to rely on in their case. If it involves witness testimony, then your attorney can get to work on discrediting that witness and their testimony.

Another important reason why it may be helpful to communicate with the prosecution is the prospect of obtaining a plea bargain. With a plea bargain a defendant will agree not to contest the case or certain facts of the case and, in return, the prosecutor may dismiss certain charges or seek reduced charges or penalties. These are sensitive discussions, however, and should only be entered into with the advice and assistance of an experienced criminal defense attorney. After all, any accidental admissions during negotiations could later come back to haunt a defendant at trial if no deal is reached.

Colorado Attorney General

The Attorney General for Colorado, an elected position, represents the state in litigation and also will sue on behalf of consumers and others in the state who've been wronged.

Directory of Colorado District Attorneys

The DA offices in Colorado are broken up into 22 judicial districts incorporating all of Colorado's counties. Below are links to the Colorado D.A. offices by district as well as some County Attorney offices.

Note: Although we strive to provide the most current contact and website information available for the D.A. offices in this state, this information is subject to change. If you have found contact or website information that is not current, please contact us.

Get Legal Help with Your Criminal Case in Colorado

Just because you're facing criminal charges doesn't mean the case against you is strong. In fact, there are times when prosecutors overcharge a case, or seek charges that go beyond the weight of the evidence, in order to pressure a defendant into a plea bargain. Don't fight your case alone, contact a local criminal defense attorney who can be your steady advocate at trial or during plea negotiations.