Colorado Springs, CO criminal defense attorney Alexis Austin Litle talks about common misdemeanor charges in Colorado. She explains that misdemeanors are a class of crimes that fall between minor traffic offenses and more serious felony charges. In Colorado, common misdemeanor charges include assault, theft, harassment, and obstruction. Theft charges are generally determined by the value of the property involved.

Harassment can take many forms, including physically shoving or pushing someone, using racial slurs, or repeatedly contacting someone via phone or text. Obstruction can also be classified as a misdemeanor, such as refusing to provide one’s name to law enforcement, although certain forms of obstruction may rise to a felony.

Among the most frequently encountered misdemeanors is assault, which involves causing physical harm to another person without meeting the threshold for felony-level injury, which might include permanent or severe damage. A misdemeanor assault can carry penalties of up to one year in jail.

She also notes the category of drug misdemeanors, which are specific to certain controlled substances. Penalties for drug misdemeanors can differ from those of standard misdemeanors and often depend on both the type and quantity of the drug involved. Examples include possession of heroin, large amounts of marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, or other classified substances.