MANY ASK:

 

“HOW CAN YOU DEFEND SOMEONE?!”

 

YOU SHOULD ASK:

 

“WHAT IF … THE GOVERNMENT MADE A MISTAKE ….”

 

“WHAT IF … HE DIDN’T DO IT BUT NO ONE WILL LISTEN TO HIM …”

 

“WHAT IF … SHE DIDN’T MEAN TO DO IT …

 

“WHAT IF … NO ONE STOOD NEXT TO YOU WHEN YOU NEEDED HELP ....”

 

Our state and federal constitutions are magnificent documents. They are intended to guarantee that the law recognize that inividuals have inherent dignity and worth and to protect against otherwise unlimited authoity of The State to take a person's life, liberty, and property.

 

How can a criminal defense practitioner represent people who might be guilty of a terrible crime?  We have to – we have to protect you, your children, your neighbors, and our community.  Few expect to need a criminal defense lawyer, but too often our government is simply wrong and people are accused of crimes that they are simply INNOCENT of committing.  When the government, be it municipal, state, or federal, brings its enormous power to bear against an individual person, and when the accusation is such that the public forgets the presumption of innocence, a person's last hope is the criminal defnse lawyer.  By protecting contitutional rights one client at a time, we are also protecting your constitutional rights so that you have them when you need them.

The Colorado Criminal Defense Bar is the only statewide organization devoted solely to the representation of persons accused of having committed crimes. Our membership spreads far and wide throughout the state.  Our membership is primarily made up of attorneys; however, our ranks include other professionals such as paralegals and investigators throughout Colorado.  The CCDB is affiliated with the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, NACDL, in mission, function, and goals.

THE COLORADO CRIMINAL DEFENSE BAR is an established organization of criminal defense practitioners; attorneys, paralegals, and investigators who are dedicated to representing people accused of crime.  As an organization, the CCDB is committed to protecting the rights of the accused, opposing the death penalty, and providing training and support to the practitioners that make up the criminal defense community.

 

Founded in 1979, the CCDB has grown dramatically over the last quarter-century.  Today, the CCDB maintains a membership of more than 850 practitioners and we continues to grow and develop everyday.  We can boast that today our membership makes up the core of the criminal defense community in Colorado; practitioners in the public and private sectors and at the municipal, state, and federal levels. We maintain an active Board of Directors, a full-time staff, and 10 regional chapters to meet the needs of our members across the state.

 

Our members draw strength from the statewide and regional defense oriented services and benefits that the CCDB provides.  If you practice criminal defense in Colorado, JOIN US today – you can’t afford not to!

 

Network Services

 

The strength of every criminal defense practitioner depends on his/her ability to call on others.  The CCDB supports a broad professional network though which criminal defense practitioners can easily call on others for information, help, and support.  We maintain an e-mail listserv and a website with information and resources and we host professional and social events throughout the year.  We also publish an annual membership directory that is full of useful information to the criminal defense practitioner and a quarterly publication (The Rap Sheet) that follows current issues and developments in criminal law.  Each of these makes it easy for members to stay in touch, get answers, trade transcripts, and get client referrals.

 

Policy Action

 

Liberty, Justice, Equality - these are the principles anchoring our foundation and the CCDB works hard to ensure that our criminal justice system embraces these principles.  The CCDB supports and pursues policies and laws that safeguard the accused from prejudice and injustice and that ensure that those convicted of crimes are treated fairly, equitably, and humanely.  Through its Raptor Fund, the CCDB maintains a standing Legislative Committee and employs an experienced lobbyist to carry your voice and ideas to the State Capitol.  Whether you are a private practitioner or a public defender, the CCDB supports your interests as a criminal defense practitioner before Colorado policymakers.

 

Criminal Defense Training

 

The CCDB sponsors regular CLE seminars designed to make you a better criminal defense practitioner.  Designed for criminal defense attorneys by experiences criminal defense practitioners, these seminars are current, informative, and inexpensive.  In addition, the CCDB maintains a library of its CLE presentations.  Our CLE Homestudy Program tapes and materials are well organized for CCDB members.  For those live presentations that you miss, you can quickly, easily, and inexpensively get your CLEs in comfort of your home or office.

 

Direct Services

 

The CCDB provides its members direct services that improve their ability to successfully practice criminal defense and that save them money.  We maintain services, such as equipment (e.g. a laptop with PowerPoint, an LCD projector, an ELMO picture projection machine, etc.) and meeting space, that you will need in your criminal defense practice.  In addition, we continuously search for additional services that we can provide our members at no or reduced cost.  As a member, if you let us know what you need, we will work hard to make sure that you get it!