While most prosecutors begin handling a wide variety of crimes, some cases are more complex or benefit from greater training and experience in specialized areas. In the 23rd Judicial District, we work hard to focus resources to have the most meaningful impact on community safety and in seeking justice for victims. In pursuit of those goals, the District Attorney has established some teams comprised of subject matter experts who focus their work on narrow but necessary areas of prosecution.
Family Violence Unit
The FVU handles our most serious felony cases that involve unique victim dynamics. This includes cases with child victims of sex assault or child abuse, adult sex assault cases, cases involving at-risk victims, and cases involving domestic violence. The team of prosecutors in this unit specialize in working on these types of cases because of the extensive training and experience they have working closely with our most vulnerable victims.
Pattern Crimes Unit
Whether it’s complex financial crime or a criminal organization committing repeated criminal acts in our jurisdiction, the Pattern Crimes Unit is there to ensure that we are putting focused resources into cases and defendants that have the biggest impact on community safety. These prosecutors carry a smaller case load because the cases they do handle are often very complex, involving thousands and thousands of pages of records. They focus on supporting law enforcement react to ongoing community threats and taking swift action to prevent the growth of any organized criminal activity in our jurisdiction.
Appeals Unit
While the District Attorney’s Office is fundamentally a trial office, there are times when we need to initiate an appeal of an important legal issue. We also often have the important responsibility of defending appeals brought from County Court cases in the District Court to ensure those convictions are upheld. The appeals unit includes a team that is well versed in the very different type of litigation required for an appeal and they are experts on the latest caselaw and emerging trends among the Colorado Appellate Courts.