Calhan Criminal Defense Lawyer

Two-lane highway across the eastern Colorado plains

Charged With a Crime in Calhan
Who Makes Arrests in and Around Calhan
Which Court Hears Your Case
Calhan Municipal Court
State Charges in El Paso County Court
Handling a Case From Eastern El Paso County
Common Charges and Where to Learn More
Working With a Calhan Criminal Defense Lawyer
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources

Charged With a Crime in Calhan

Calhan is a town on the eastern plains of El Paso County, and a criminal case that starts there can end up in one of two very different courts. A ticket for a minor traffic violation inside town limits usually goes to Calhan Municipal Court, which the town runs through its Town Clerk. A DUI, an assault, a drug charge, or any felony is usually a state case heard in downtown Colorado Springs.

Which court you are in decides who prosecutes you, what penalties are possible, and how often you have to make the drive into the city. The first step is to read your summons closely. It names the court, the date, and the time you must appear.

This page explains how cases from Calhan and the surrounding unincorporated area are handled, where each court sits, and what to expect if you live out east and your case is in Colorado Springs.

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First Steps After a Calhan Arrest or Summons

Find the court name on the summons. "Town of Calhan" and "El Paso County Court" are different courts with different prosecutors.
Check for a license notice. After a DUI arrest with a breath test or a refusal, you generally have 7 days to request a DMV hearing. See our DMV hearing page.
Do not pay a ticket until you know what it costs you. Paying a Calhan traffic summons counts as a guilty plea.
Plan the trip. A state case means appearances at 270 S. Tejon Street in Colorado Springs, not in Calhan.

Who Makes Arrests in and Around Calhan

Calhan has its own police department. According to the town, the Calhan Police Department provides law enforcement inside the Town of Calhan, and its chief and officers are backed up by the El Paso County Sheriff's Office and the Colorado State Patrol. The department lists its office at 556 Colorado Avenue, the same address the town gives for the Town Clerk.

Many homes and ranches with a Calhan mailing address are not inside town limits. A Sheriff's Office news release, for example, describes a rural residential area "located in Calhan in unincorporated El Paso County." Those areas are patrolled by the El Paso County Sheriff's Office. The Sheriff's Patrol Division covers roughly 1,900 square miles of unincorporated county, and its listed deputy duties include traffic enforcement and proactive patrolling for DUIs.

U.S. Highway 24 is the main highway through the area, running east from Peyton to Calhan and on past town, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. A stop on the highway may be made by a town officer, a deputy, or a state trooper, depending on where it happens. The Colorado State Patrol's stated mission is to promote safety and protect life on the state's highways through enforcement.

Why the Arresting Agency Matters

The agency that wrote the summons often tells you which court has the case. A town officer can cite a minor traffic or town code violation into Calhan Municipal Court. A deputy or trooper files in El Paso County Court, and serious charges from any agency go there as well.

Anyone taken into custody is generally booked at the El Paso County Jail at the Criminal Justice Center, 2739 East Las Vegas Street in Colorado Springs. Family members can use our El Paso County inmate search guide to locate someone.

Which Court Hears Your Case

Type of case	Court	Location
Minor traffic violations and town summons issued inside Calhan town limits	Calhan Municipal Court	Contact the Town Clerk, 556 Colorado Avenue, Calhan, CO 80808, 719-347-2586
State misdemeanors, traffic misdemeanors, and DUI	El Paso County Court	El Paso County Judicial Building, 270 S. Tejon Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Felonies	El Paso County District Court	El Paso County Judicial Building, 270 S. Tejon Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Federal charges	U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado	Location is listed on the federal charging papers or summons

If your summons does not clearly name a court, call the court listed on it before the date passes. Missing an appearance in either court can lead to a warrant.

Calhan Municipal Court

Every Colorado town must have a municipal court to hear violations of its ordinances under C.R.S. 13-10-104. Calhan's court is small and meets far less often than the courts in Colorado Springs. The town says it holds court every other month for minor traffic violations and summonses issued inside town limits, with a contracted judge presiding as needed.

What a Calhan Court Day Looks Like

Arrive by 1:00 p.m. The town asks people to come at 1:00 p.m. to meet with the town prosecutor before court.
Court starts at 1:30 p.m. The judge takes the docket after the prosecutor meetings.
The Town Clerk handles arraignments. The town's departments page says the clerk conducts arraignments in its municipal system.
Dates change. Because court is held every other month, check the town calendar or call the clerk rather than guessing.

The town also streams its board meetings and court on its Facebook page. If you cannot be there in person, the town says you may contact the court clerk to request a Zoom appearance.

Paying Versus Contesting a Calhan Ticket

The town treats payment of a traffic summons within 20 days of issuance as timely, and it says timely payment may reduce the points. Paying enters a guilty plea, so no court appearance is needed, and the town sends paperwork to the DMV. You can call the town office to pay, or pay online through Municipay using the four-digit summons number printed in bold in the upper right corner of the ticket.

Before you pay, think about your driving record, because a paid traffic summons is a conviction that can carry points. Drivers close to a points suspension, commercial drivers, and drivers under 21 can lose far more than the fine. Our traffic ticket page explains the point thresholds.

Jury Rights in Municipal Court

If you are entitled to a jury in a municipal case, C.R.S. 13-10-114 requires a written request within 21 days after you enter a plea, along with a fee. Missing that deadline means a trial to the judge. With court held only every other month, that window can close before your next court date comes around.

Address	556 Colorado Avenue, Calhan, CO 80808
Office hours	Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Phone	719-347-2586
Court schedule	Every other month; meet the prosecutor at 1:00 p.m., court at 1:30 p.m.

State Charges in El Paso County Court

State charges from Calhan are filed in the 4th Judicial District, which covers El Paso and Teller counties.

Misdemeanors and traffic misdemeanors, including DUI, go to El Paso County Court. Felonies go to El Paso County District Court. Both are in the El Paso County Judicial Building at 270 S. Tejon Street in downtown Colorado Springs.

These cases are prosecuted by the Office of the District Attorney for the 4th Judicial District, not by the town prosecutor. The DA's County Court unit handles misdemeanor and traffic offenses in El Paso and Teller counties. The clerk's office at the Judicial Building is open weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the main court number is 719-452-5000.

How a State Case From Calhan Moves Forward

Arrest or summons. A deputy, trooper, or town officer either releases you with a court date or takes you to the jail in Colorado Springs.
Bond and first appearance. If you are held, a judge sets bond and conditions. Out-of-custody defendants receive a date on the summons.
Discovery and negotiation. Your lawyer obtains reports and video and discusses the case with the deputy district attorney.
Motions and trial. If the stop, search, or statements were unlawful, a lawyer can ask the court to suppress evidence. Otherwise the case resolves by agreement or goes to trial.

For the penalty ranges that apply to state charges, see our felony page. A class 1 misdemeanor carries up to 364 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Handling a Case From Eastern El Paso County

A state case is a real burden when you live in Calhan. Court is downtown, parking is at street meters or the city garage on South Nevada that the court lists for visitors, and a morning docket can take most of the day once travel is included. Work schedules on farms and ranches do not always bend around court calendars.

Remote Appearances Are Limited in County Court

Do not assume you can appear by video in El Paso County Court. The court's posted notice says all matters in County Court are in person unless specifically authorized by written order of the court. A lawyer can ask the judge for permission when there is a good reason, but the request has to be made and granted in advance.

Calhan Municipal Court is more flexible on this point, since the town invites people to ask the clerk about a Zoom appearance. That option applies only to the town court, not to state charges.

How a Lawyer Reduces the Trips

In many misdemeanor cases, routine settings such as pretrial conferences can be handled by the lawyer, depending on the court and the case. Some appearances, including pleas and sentencing, usually require you in the courtroom. Your lawyer can tell you which dates you must attend and which you can skip.

Common Charges and Where to Learn More

The law on each charge is the same in Calhan as anywhere in Colorado. Our practice pages cover the elements, penalties, and defenses in detail:

DUI and DWAI, including stops on U.S. 24: see our DUI page.
Domestic violence, where arrests and protection orders often follow a single call: see our domestic violence page.
Weapons charges, which can arise from rural disputes and traffic stops alike: see our weapons charge page.
Drug charges: see our drug crimes page.

For other communities in the county, see our El Paso County criminal defense page.

Working With a Calhan Criminal Defense Lawyer

Attorney Michael W. Moran has been licensed to practice law in Colorado since 1995 and is a former municipal court judge. He represents people charged in El Paso County Court and District Court and in the municipal courts around the Pikes Peak region, including small-town courts like Calhan's that sit only every other month. Other attorneys he works with assist when a case needs it.

The office of Criminal Defense Colorado Springs, P.C. is in Colorado Springs, not in Calhan. Meetings can often be scheduled around your court dates to save a trip.

A first meeting covers the charge, the court, the evidence, and the outcomes realistically available. No lawyer can promise a particular result. Criminal Defense Colorado Springs, P.C. offers free, confidential consultations.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does Calhan have its own police department?

Yes. The Calhan Police Department handles law enforcement inside town limits, with backup from the El Paso County Sheriff's Office and the Colorado State Patrol. Outside town limits, the Sheriff's Office patrols.

Where is Calhan Municipal Court?

The town handles its court through the Town Clerk's office at 556 Colorado Avenue, Calhan, CO 80808, phone 719-347-2586. Court is held every other month, so call the clerk to confirm your date.

My ticket is from a state trooper on U.S. 24. Which court do I go to?

Tickets written by the Colorado State Patrol or a sheriff's deputy are usually El Paso County cases at 270 S. Tejon Street in Colorado Springs. The summons names the court, so check it first.

Where will my DUI case from Calhan be heard?

DUI is normally charged as a state offense in El Paso County Court at the El Paso County Judicial Building, 270 S. Tejon Street. The DMV license case is separate and has its own 7-day hearing request deadline.

Can I appear by Zoom?

For Calhan Municipal Court, the town says you can contact the court clerk to request a Zoom appearance. In El Paso County Court, matters are in person unless the court authorizes otherwise by written order.

Is paying a Calhan traffic ticket the same as pleading guilty?

Yes. Payment is treated as a guilty plea, and points are reported to the DMV. Talk to a lawyer first if you are close to a suspension or hold a commercial license.

Who prosecutes my case?

A town prosecutor handles Calhan Municipal Court cases. State cases are prosecuted by the 4th Judicial District Attorney's Office.

Author

Michael W. Moran

Criminal Defense Attorney

Colorado Bar # 26337

Michael W. Moran has been licensed to practice law in Colorado since October 1995 and is a former municipal court judge. His practice focuses on criminal defense, including DUI and DUID, domestic violence, drug charges, juvenile cases, traffic offenses, and probation violations. He represents clients in El Paso, Teller, Pueblo, and Fremont counties. He earned his law degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and is a member of the Colorado Bar Association, the El Paso County Bar Association, and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He is a member of the National College for DUI Defense and is rated Excellent on Avvo.