Cañon City DUI Lawyer
On This Page
- After a DUI Arrest in Cañon City
- Justice Center Road: Court, Police, and Jail
- Fremont County Court and the 11th Judicial District
- Cañon City Municipal Court
- Who Makes DUI Arrests in Cañon City
- The DMV Case and Its 7-Day Clock
- The Path of a Fremont County DUI Case
- Questions a DUI Defense Review Asks
- Working With a Cañon City DUI Lawyer
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Sources
After a DUI Arrest in Cañon City
Cañon City is the seat of Fremont County, and almost every place involved in a local DUI case sits on one street. The police department, the municipal court, the Fremont County Combined Court, and the county jail all have Justice Center Road addresses. If you were arrested in or near Cañon City, that is where your case will play out.
A DUI arrest here also opens a license case with the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, and that case moves on its own timeline. In most breath test and refusal cases, you have only 7 days to ask for a hearing.
Fremont County is part of the 11th Judicial District, not the 4th Judicial District that covers Colorado Springs. That means a different District Attorney, different judges, and different local practices than a DUI in El Paso County. Criminal Defense Colorado Springs, P.C. represents drivers charged in Fremont County.
What to Gather Right Away
- The summons or citation, which lists your court date and which court has the case
- The Express Consent notice of revocation, if the officer took your license
- Bond paperwork, including any no-alcohol or monitoring conditions
- Your own notes on when and what you drank or took, and where you were stopped
Justice Center Road: Court, Police, and Jail
The table below lists the offices most people deal with after a Cañon City DUI.
| Office | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Fremont County Combined Court (County and District Court) | 136 Justice Center Road, Cañon City, CO 81212 | 719-269-0100 |
| Cañon City Municipal Court | 161 Justice Center Road, Cañon City, CO 81212 | 719-276-5601 |
| Cañon City Police Department | 161 Justice Center Road, Cañon City, CO 81212 | 719-276-5600 (records, option 1) |
| Fremont County Sheriff's Office and Detention Center | 100 Justice Center Road, Cañon City, CO 81212 | 719-276-5555 |
The Fremont County Detention Center accepts arrestees from every local, state, and federal law enforcement agency in the county. A person arrested for DUI by Cañon City police, a sheriff's deputy, or a state trooper is generally held there until bond is posted.
Fremont County Court and the 11th Judicial District
State DUI and DWAI charges in Fremont County are heard in Fremont County Court at the Fremont County Combined Court, 136 Justice Center Road. Felony cases, such as a fourth DUI or vehicular assault after a crash causing serious bodily injury, go to Fremont County District Court in the same building.
- Hours: Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Clerk's office lunch closure: 12:00 to 12:30 p.m. daily
- Filings: the court's email address is for general questions only, and emailed pleadings are not accepted. Filings go by fax, mail, or in person.
The 11th Judicial District Attorney
The 11th Judicial District covers four counties: Chaffee, Custer, Fremont, and Park. Its District Attorney's Office prosecutes state charges in all four, including DUI cases in Fremont County Court. The Colorado Secretary of State lists a Fremont County office in Cañon City as well as offices in Salida and Fairplay.
The Colorado Secretary of State lists Jeff Lindsey as the 11th Judicial District Attorney. He was first sworn in as acting District Attorney on November 1, 2024, according to the Colorado Judicial Branch, and was the only candidate for the office in that year's election.
Cañon City Municipal Court
Cañon City runs its own municipal court for violations of the city charter and city ordinances. According to the city, those cases include animal, code, criminal, parking, shoplifting, and traffic violations. The court is independent of the police department, and its judge is a part-time judge appointed by City Council.
The court keeps short hours, so plan calls and visits around them:
- Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Wednesday: 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Friday: closed for administrative duties
The city's court page does not say whether DUI charges are filed there or in Fremont County Court. Your summons decides it, so read the court name and address on it closely. A summons that lists 136 Justice Center Road is a state case in Fremont County Court, while one that lists 161 Justice Center Road is a municipal case.
For how municipal cases work, including the 21-day deadline to request a jury under C.R.S. 13-10-114, see our municipal court page.
Who Makes DUI Arrests in Cañon City
Cañon City Police Department
Inside city limits, the Cañon City Police Department handles patrol and traffic enforcement. The city says the department is staffed 24 hours a day, but its reception and records window is open only Monday through Thursday, with Friday visits by appointment preferred. Report requests go through records at 719-276-5600, option 1.
Fremont County Sheriff's Office
Outside city limits, in unincorporated parts of Fremont County, DUI stops are generally made by sheriff's deputies. Their cases are state cases in Fremont County Court. The Sheriff's Office also runs the county detention center.
Colorado State Patrol on US-50
US Highway 50 is the main east-west route through Cañon City, connecting it with Pueblo to the east and Salida to the west. The Colorado State Patrol enforces traffic laws on US-50 and the other state highways in the county. Troopers charge under state law, so a CSP DUI is filed in Fremont County Court.
The DMV Case and Its 7-Day Clock
The Division of Motor Vehicles does not wait for the court in Cañon City to act. Under C.R.S. 42-2-126, it can revoke your license based on the officer's report, even if the criminal charge is later reduced or dismissed.
When an officer takes your license after a breath test or a refusal, the paperwork you receive acts as a temporary permit for 7 days. Within those 7 days, you must request an Express Consent hearing or the revocation takes effect on its own. Blood test cases work differently: the DMV mails a notice after the lab results arrive, and that notice gives the deadline.
For drivers in Fremont County, the hearing is also a chance to get the arresting officer's account on the record early. Our DMV hearing page covers revocation lengths and interlock reinstatement.
The Path of a Fremont County DUI Case
- Arrest and booking at the detention center at 100 Justice Center Road, followed by release on bond or a summons.
- First appearance in Fremont County Court, where the judge confirms the charges and bond conditions.
- Discovery from the 11th Judicial District Attorney: reports, body camera and dash camera video, breath test records, or blood lab results.
- Pretrial conference. The defense and the prosecutor discuss the evidence and any offer, such as a reduction to DWAI.
- Motions hearing if the stop, the arrest, or the testing can be challenged.
- Jury trial or plea, followed by sentencing if there is a conviction.
A conviction brings the state penalties under C.R.S. 42-4-1307, an alcohol and drug evaluation, and classes.
A first DUI carries a fine of $600 to $1,000 and 12 points on your license, while a DWAI carries 8 points. The DUI page lays out every offense level, and DWAI vs. DUI explains the lesser charge.
If the stop involved marijuana or prescription drugs, the charge is still brought under C.R.S. 42-4-1301. See our DUID page for how drugged driving cases are built and challenged.
Questions a DUI Defense Review Asks
No lawyer can promise a particular result in a Fremont County case. What a careful review can do is test each step the officer took against what the law requires.
Was the Stop Lawful?
Whether the stop happened on US-50, on a city street, or on a county road, the officer needed reasonable suspicion. Video often settles whether the weaving, speeding, or equipment problem in the report actually occurred.
Was There Probable Cause to Arrest?
Odor, red eyes, and roadside exercise results each have possible innocent explanations. The question is whether the officer's observations, taken together, supported an arrest.
Was the Test Done Correctly?
Breath machines must be certified and maintained, and operators must follow an observation period. Blood samples must be drawn, stored, and tested with an intact chain of custody.
Was the Express Consent Advisement Accurate?
Errors in how the officer explained testing, or in how a refusal was recorded, can matter in both the court case and the DMV hearing.
Working With a Cañon City DUI 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 with DUI, DWAI, and drugged driving in Fremont County Court and the Cañon City Municipal Court, and he handles the DMV hearing too. Other attorneys he works with assist when a case calls for it.
Criminal Defense Colorado Springs, P.C. does not have an office in Cañon City. Its office is in Colorado Springs, and Mike Moran travels to Justice Center Road for court dates. Much of the early work, including the DMV hearing request and the discovery review, can be done without you making extra trips.
Criminal Defense Colorado Springs, P.C. offers free, confidential consultations. Because the DMV window is only 7 days, call as soon as you can after the arrest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the courthouse for a Cañon City DUI?
State DUI cases are heard at the Fremont County Combined Court, 136 Justice Center Road, Cañon City, CO 81212. The phone number is 719-269-0100.
Where is Cañon City Municipal Court?
It is at 161 Justice Center Road, the same address as the Cañon City Police Department. The court is closed on Fridays.
Where would I be held after a DUI arrest in Cañon City?
Generally at the Fremont County Detention Center, run by the Sheriff's Office at 100 Justice Center Road. It accepts arrestees from every law enforcement agency in the county.
Which judicial district is Fremont County in?
Fremont County is in the 11th Judicial District, along with Chaffee, Custer, and Park counties. The 11th Judicial District Attorney prosecutes state DUI cases there.
I was stopped by a state trooper on US-50. Which court has my case?
A Colorado State Patrol DUI is a state charge, so it is filed in Fremont County Court at 136 Justice Center Road. Check your summons for the date and courtroom.
How long do I have to request a DMV hearing?
If the officer took your license after a breath test or refusal, you generally have 7 days. In a blood test case, follow the deadline on the notice the DMV mails you.
Sources
- Fremont Combined Court (Colorado Judicial Branch)
- 11th Judicial District Overview (Colorado Judicial Branch)
- Jeff Lindsey sworn in as acting District Attorney (Colorado Judicial Branch)
- List of Colorado District Attorneys (Colorado Secretary of State)
- Cañon City Municipal Court (City of Cañon City)
- Cañon City Police Department location and hours (City of Cañon City)
- Fremont County Sheriff's Office Detention Center
- C.R.S. 42-4-1301, Driving under the influence and driving while impaired
- C.R.S. 42-4-1307, Penalties for alcohol and drug driving offenses
- C.R.S. 42-2-126, Administrative license revocation
- C.R.S. 13-10-114, Jury trials in municipal court
- Express Consent Cases Procedures (Colorado Department of Revenue)
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