Teachers Charged with DUI in Colorado

A DUI charge can create consequences for a Colorado teacher that extend well beyond the criminal court and the loss of driving privileges. In addition to possible jail, fines, probation, useful public service, alcohol or drug treatment, ignition-interlock requirements, and DMV revocation, a teacher may also have to consider educator licensing, school-district employment, background checks, renewal applications, disciplinary investigations, and future teaching opportunities. Colorado’s educator licensing system includes fingerprint-based criminal history checks, and the Colorado Department of Education’s licensing system gives authorized school districts access to criminal-history and subsequent-arrest information received through state background-check systems.

A DUI conviction does not automatically mean that a Colorado teacher will lose an educator license. Ordinary misdemeanor DUI is not one of the offenses specifically listed in C.R.S. § 22-60.5-107 as automatically requiring denial, suspension, or revocation of an educator credential. Colorado law does, however, authorize licensing consequences for certain felonies and specified misconduct, and school districts have separate employment authority that can become relevant depending on the facts of the DUI, the teacher’s position, prior history, and whether the conduct bears a meaningful relationship to professional fitness.

The distinction between a criminal conviction, a licensing consequence, and an employment action is critical. A DUI may be resolved in court without resulting in loss of a teaching license, yet a school district may still review the incident under employment policies. Conversely, a felony DUI or another serious accompanying charge may raise substantially greater licensing and employment concerns.

Denver and Colorado DUI Defense Attorney for Teachers

Teachers accused of DUI need a defense strategy that considers both the criminal case and the effect that a conviction or plea may have on an education career. A proposed resolution cannot be evaluated solely by looking at the jail sentence. The teacher may also need to consider whether the disposition will appear in a background check, whether the Colorado Department of Education can obtain the relevant criminal history, whether the district has an internal reporting policy, and whether the disposition could affect renewal or future employment.

At the Law Office of Matthew A. Martin, P.C., we understand that teachers often have careers built on trust, licensure, and professional reputation. Matthew Martin carefully examines the traffic stop, body-camera footage, field sobriety testing, blood or breath evidence, chemical-test procedures, DMV action, prior history, and any facts that could increase the professional consequences of the case.

A strong defense should protect both the immediate criminal case and the teacher’s longer-term interests. That can include challenging an unlawful stop, attacking unreliable testing, contesting a refusal allegation, addressing the DMV hearing, carefully evaluating plea language, and avoiding unnecessary admissions that could later be taken out of context in an employment or licensing setting.

If you are a teacher charged with DUI in Denver, call (303) 725-0017 to schedule your free consultation today.

Overview of Teachers Charged with DUI in Denver, Colorado

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DUI Charges Against Teachers in Colorado

Colorado prosecutes DUI, DUI per se, and DWAI under C.R.S. § 42-4-1301. A person may be charged with DUI when alcohol, one or more drugs, or a combination of substances allegedly affects the person to the point that they are substantially incapable of exercising clear judgment, sufficient physical control, or due care in operating a vehicle. DUI per se generally involves a BAC of at least 0.08 under the statutory framework, while DWAI involves impairment to the slightest degree.

A teacher can face DUI based on alcohol, marijuana, prescription medication, controlled substances, or combinations of substances. The fact that a substance was legally possessed or prescribed does not automatically defeat an impaired-driving prosecution if prosecutors claim it affected the person’s driving ability.

The professional consequences are a separate matter. Colorado educator licensing law specifically identifies some criminal convictions that can result in licensing action, but it does not say that every misdemeanor conviction automatically results in loss of a teaching credential. Ordinary misdemeanor DUI therefore must be distinguished from felony DUI and from the serious offenses that Colorado law expressly makes grounds for mandatory or discretionary educator discipline.

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Will a DUI Automatically Cause a Teacher to Lose a Colorado Teaching License?

No. A misdemeanor DUI conviction does not automatically require the Colorado Department of Education or State Board of Education to revoke a teaching license.

C.R.S. § 22-60.5-107 identifies specific grounds for denying, annulling, suspending, or revoking educator licenses, certificates, endorsements, and authorizations. These include certain sexual offenses, controlled-substance offenses, felonies that render the educator unfit to perform licensed services, specified felony drug offenses, and other categories of misconduct. Ordinary misdemeanor DUI is not expressly included among the offenses that automatically require educator-license revocation.

That does not mean a DUI is professionally irrelevant. The Colorado Department of Education reviews criminal-history information in connection with educator licensing and has authority to investigate circumstances that may implicate professional fitness or unethical conduct. CDE describes its Educator Enforcement Office as reviewing criminal-history reports, arrest records, licensing disclosures, police records, court materials, and employment information when evaluating potential licensing issues.

The seriousness of the professional risk therefore depends on the facts. A first misdemeanor DUI occurring off duty may present a very different licensing situation from felony DUI, repeated alcohol-related offenses, DUI involving a child, drug distribution allegations, conduct involving students, or an incident suggesting that the teacher was impaired while carrying out school responsibilities.

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Colorado Teacher License Applications and DUI Disclosure

Colorado changed its educator licensing disclosure rules in 2026. House Bill 26-1090 became law and took effect on August 12, 2026. The new law generally requires applicants to disclose misdemeanor convictions occurring within the previous seven years, but it excludes ordinary misdemeanor traffic offenses and traffic infractions unless the misdemeanor falls within one of the specially enumerated categories that can support educator-license denial or discipline.

This is particularly important for DUI because DUI is prosecuted under Colorado’s traffic code. A teacher should not assume that every misdemeanor DUI must automatically be reported on every CDE licensing application without first reviewing the wording of the current application and the applicable statute. The precise disclosure obligation can depend on whether the conviction is treated as an excluded traffic misdemeanor, whether another offense was also charged or resolved, and whether the conviction independently falls within a statutory ground for educator discipline.

Felony convictions are treated differently. The 2026 law continues to require disclosure of felony convictions, and felony DUI can create substantially greater concerns because educator licensing law separately authorizes action based on felonies that the State Board determines render the educator unfit to perform licensed educational services.

Teachers should answer licensing and renewal questions accurately based on their exact wording. Attempting to conceal criminal history or giving misleading information in an educator-license application can itself create a separate licensing problem because C.R.S. § 22-60.5-107 permits denial or annulment when a license is obtained or sought through misrepresentation, fraud, misleading information, or an intentionally untruthful statement.

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Criminal Background Checks and Subsequent Arrest Information

Colorado educator licensing involves extensive criminal-history review. Applicants generally submit fingerprints that are used for criminal background checks through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and Federal Bureau of Investigation. CDE may also access judicial records and other criminal-history sources when reviewing an educator’s eligibility for licensure.

School districts and charter schools with authorized access to Colorado Online Licensing can view information concerning current and historical licenses, CDE background-check status, criminal-history information obtained from fingerprint checks, and subsequent arrest information received from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

This means that a teacher should not assume that keeping an arrest quiet will necessarily prevent the district or CDE from learning about it. Whether the teacher personally has an affirmative contractual or policy-based duty to report the arrest is a separate question, but the existence of background-check systems makes it important to plan for the possibility that the employer may receive information independently.

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School District Reporting to the Colorado Department of Education

Colorado imposes reporting obligations on public school employers in specified situations. CDE’s Public School Notification Form states that public schools, districts, BOCES, facility schools, and state-operated programs must notify CDE regarding certain current or former employees when circumstances within the applicable reporting statutes arise. The reporting process may include information concerning school investigations, law-enforcement investigations, criminal charges, disciplinary actions, administrative leave, resignation, or termination.

A routine off-duty misdemeanor DUI does not automatically mean that a district must file every type of mandatory misconduct report with CDE. The applicability of reporting rules depends on the offense, employment action, and statutory trigger.

However, if the DUI leads to a broader employment investigation—for example, because the teacher was allegedly impaired while working, driving students, operating a school vehicle, using controlled substances at school, or otherwise engaging in conduct related to student safety—the reporting picture may become much more serious.

CDE also makes clear that educator misconduct complaints concern issues bearing on a credentialed educator’s fitness to hold a license. The agency’s concern-report materials distinguish professional-fitness matters from ordinary local employment disputes.

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Can a Colorado School District Fire a Teacher for DUI?

Potentially, but a misdemeanor DUI does not automatically require dismissal.

Colorado’s Teacher Employment, Compensation, and Dismissal Act provides that a teacher may be dismissed for grounds including incompetency, neglect of duty, immorality, unsatisfactory performance, insubordination, a felony conviction or felony plea or deferred sentence, and “other good and just cause.”

For a misdemeanor DUI, the question may therefore involve whether the conduct has a legally sufficient connection to one of those statutory grounds or whether separate district employment policies apply. Colorado case law has recognized that private shortcomings are not automatically grounds for dismissal merely because they come to the attention of a school board; the conduct generally must have a meaningful relationship to the teacher’s fitness, students, fellow teachers, or school community when an employment dismissal is based on concepts such as immorality.

A first DUI that occurs completely outside school, involves no students, and does not affect the teacher’s work may therefore raise different employment issues from a DUI involving:

  • a school vehicle;
  • transportation of students;
  • alcohol or drugs on school property;
  • an accident involving students;
  • impairment immediately before or during school responsibilities;
  • repeated alcohol-related incidents;
  • violation of an existing employment agreement or remediation plan; or
  • felony charges.

If a school district recommends dismissal under C.R.S. § 22-63-301 and the teacher objects, Colorado law provides a dismissal procedure that may include an evidentiary hearing before an impartial hearing officer or administrative law judge. The district bears the burden of establishing the grounds for dismissal.

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Felony DUI and Colorado Teachers

Felony DUI presents substantially greater professional risk than a first or ordinary misdemeanor DUI.

Colorado generally treats DUI, DUI per se, or DWAI as a class 4 felony when the statutory prior-conviction requirements are satisfied. A felony conviction can affect educator licensing because C.R.S. § 22-60.5-107 permits denial, annulment, suspension, or revocation when an educator is convicted of a felony and the State Board determines that the offense renders the person unfit to perform the services authorized by the credential.

Felony convictions also have direct employment significance. C.R.S. § 22-63-301 expressly identifies conviction of a felony, acceptance of a guilty or nolo contendere plea to a felony, or a deferred sentence for a felony as grounds on which a teacher may be dismissed.

For a teacher with enough qualifying prior impaired-driving convictions to face felony DUI, the professional consequences should therefore be addressed before any plea or sentencing decision is made. A resolution that creates a felony record can place both the educator credential and current employment at much greater risk.

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DUI Involving Prescription Drugs or Controlled Substances

Drug-related DUI can create additional concerns for educators depending on what substance is involved and the surrounding allegations.

Colorado DUI law permits prosecution when impairment allegedly results from prescription medication, marijuana, controlled substances, or other drugs. A valid prescription does not automatically prevent a DUI prosecution, but a positive toxicology result does not automatically establish impairment either.

Educator licensing law treats certain drug offenses much more seriously than ordinary DUI. C.R.S. § 22-60.5-107 specifically addresses misdemeanor offenses involving the illegal sale of controlled substances and contains mandatory licensing provisions for qualifying felony drug offenses.

That distinction is critical. A prescription drug DUI based on alleged impairment is not automatically the same thing as illegal sale or distribution of controlled substances. Likewise, lawful medication use should not be transformed into an educator drug-distribution case merely because the medication was present in the person’s blood.

The risk becomes much greater if the underlying investigation also involves alleged unlawful possession, distribution, diversion, sale to students, or controlled substances found on school property.

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DUI Involving a School Vehicle or Students

A DUI allegation becomes significantly more serious professionally when the teacher was allegedly transporting students or operating a school vehicle.

Even when the underlying DUI charge remains the same, the employment consequences can be substantially different because the alleged conduct has a much closer connection to student safety and job responsibilities. A school district may argue that the conduct supports dismissal based on neglect of duty, immorality, insubordination, or other good and just cause depending on the circumstances and applicable policies.

Additional criminal charges may also arise if a child passenger was allegedly endangered, injured, or otherwise placed at risk. A DUI involving students should therefore be evaluated not only as an impaired-driving case but as a potential child-safety and professional-fitness matter.

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DUI During a School Trip, Sporting Event, or Extracurricular Activity

Teachers frequently drive or supervise students outside ordinary classroom hours. DUI allegations arising during athletic events, field trips, competitions, overnight travel, or school-sponsored activities can create especially serious professional consequences because the teacher may have been acting within the scope of employment.

A school district may investigate even before the criminal case is resolved. Employment decisions can be based on district policies and statutory employment standards that differ from the prosecution’s burden of proving DUI beyond a reasonable doubt.

Statements given to administrators, human-resources personnel, investigators, or school officials can also become important. A teacher should be careful about giving detailed accounts of the incident without considering how those statements might later affect the criminal case.

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Criminal Penalties for Teachers Charged With DUI in Colorado

Teachers face the same Colorado DUI sentencing ranges as other drivers. Professional status does not change the criminal penalty, although losing employment or facing licensing scrutiny can make the real-world consequences significantly greater.

First DUI or DUI Per Se — A first DUI or DUI per se generally carries 5 days to 1 year in county jail, a fine of $600 to $1,000, and 48 to 96 hours of useful public service. The court may impose up to 2 years of probation and require alcohol or drug evaluation, education, treatment, and monitoring.

First DUI With a BAC of 0.20 or Greater — A qualifying first DUI or DUI per se involving a BAC of 0.20 or more generally increases the minimum jail exposure to 10 days, with a maximum of 1 year. A very high BAC may also influence how an employer views the incident even though the BAC alone does not automatically establish teacher unfitness.

First DWAI — A first DWAI generally carries 2 days to 180 days in jail, a fine of $200 to $500, and 24 to 48 hours of useful public service.

Second DUI, DUI Per Se, or DWAI — A person with one qualifying prior generally faces 10 consecutive days to 1 year in jail, a fine of $600 to $1,500, 48 to 120 hours of useful public service, and at least 2 years of probation.

Third DUI, DUI Per Se, or DWAI — A person with two qualifying priors generally faces 60 consecutive days to 1 year in jail, a fine of $600 to $1,500, 48 to 120 hours of useful public service, and at least 2 years of probation.

Felony DUI — DUI, DUI per se, or DWAI can become a class 4 felony after the statutory number of qualifying prior convictions arising from separate criminal episodes. A class 4 felony generally carries 2 to 6 years in prison, a possible fine of $2,000 to $500,000, and 3 years of mandatory parole, subject to Colorado’s felony DUI sentencing provisions and alternatives where legally available.

A felony resolution can be particularly damaging to a teacher because Colorado’s teacher employment statute expressly recognizes felony convictions and certain felony pleas or deferred sentences as grounds for dismissal, while educator licensing law permits action when a felony renders the educator unfit to perform licensed services.

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Driver’s License Consequences for Teachers

Colorado DUI cases proceed along separate criminal and administrative tracks. The criminal prosecution determines guilt and criminal sentencing, while the Colorado DMV separately determines administrative driving consequences.

This can be particularly important for teachers who commute long distances, teach in rural districts, supervise extracurricular activities, coach sports, work at multiple campuses, or are required to transport equipment or students.

A teacher should not assume that waiting for the criminal case to end will protect the driver’s license. Breath-test and refusal cases generally involve a short period in which the driver must request an administrative hearing, and Colorado DMV materials identify seven days as the key deadline in common express-consent situations.

A license revocation may therefore affect the teacher’s ability to get to school long before a jury or judge determines the criminal charge.

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Defenses for Colorado Teachers Charged With DUI

The Traffic Stop Was Unlawful — Teachers have the same Fourth Amendment protections as every other driver. Police generally must have legally sufficient grounds for the traffic stop. If the stop was unlawful, evidence obtained afterward may be subject to suppression.

The Teacher Was Not Actually Impaired — Fatigue, stress, illness, allergies, anxiety, sleep deprivation, and medical conditions may produce symptoms officers associate with alcohol or drug impairment. Teachers who work long school days, attend evening events, coach athletics, or supervise extracurricular activities may have legitimate non-alcohol explanations for tiredness or slowed responses.

Field Sobriety Testing Was Unreliable — Roadside tests can be affected by uneven pavement, poor weather, footwear, injuries, balance conditions, age, fatigue, nervousness, and mistakes in the officer’s instructions. Body-camera footage should be reviewed rather than relying solely on the report.

The Breath Test Was Unreliable — Breath-testing evidence may be challenged based on maintenance, calibration, operator procedure, observation requirements, mouth alcohol, timing, or other reliability issues.

The Blood Test Was Flawed — Blood evidence can involve problems with collection, labeling, storage, preservatives, chain of custody, laboratory procedures, or interpretation. Drug DUI cases may also involve significant disputes over whether the concentration actually established impairment.

The BAC Was Rising — A later breath or blood test may not necessarily reflect the exact BAC at the time of driving, particularly where alcohol consumption occurred shortly before the trip.

Prescription Medication Did Not Cause Impairment — The presence of medication does not automatically prove that it impaired driving. Dosage, therapeutic use, tolerance, timing, medical history, and observed behavior may all be important.

The Alleged Refusal Was Not a True Refusal — Medical inability, confusion, language difficulties, injury, or inadequate instructions may undermine a refusal allegation.

The Professional Consequences Are Being Overstated — A school district or licensing authority should not automatically equate one misdemeanor DUI with professional unfitness. The defense may need to distinguish the actual conviction from assumptions about alcoholism, student safety, or workplace impairment that are not supported by the facts.

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Role of a Colorado DUI Attorney When the Client Is a Teacher

Defending the Criminal Charge With the Teaching Career in Mind — The disposition should be evaluated for more than jail and fines. Counsel should consider whether the resolution is a misdemeanor or felony, whether other charges are being dismissed, and whether the resulting record could create educator-license or employment problems.

Evaluating Licensing Disclosure Requirements — Colorado changed educator misdemeanor disclosure requirements in August 2026. Ordinary traffic misdemeanors are generally treated differently from other misdemeanors for licensing applications, making it important to review the current application rather than relying on outdated advice.

Reviewing the Teacher’s Employment Policies — District contracts, handbooks, collective-bargaining provisions, and employee conduct policies may contain reporting or fitness requirements beyond state licensing law. Counsel should determine what actually applies before the teacher makes unnecessary disclosures.

Preparing for Employer Questions — If the district learns about the arrest through background systems, police information, or another source, the teacher may be asked to explain the incident. Responses should be truthful and carefully limited so that an employment statement does not unnecessarily damage the criminal defense.

Challenging Felony Treatment — Preventing a case from becoming or remaining a felony can be especially important for a teacher because felony convictions have direct significance under both educator licensing and teacher dismissal statutes.

Managing the DMV Case — A license revocation can affect attendance, commuting, extracurricular duties, and transportation responsibilities. The administrative case should therefore be handled immediately rather than waiting for criminal court.

Addressing Genuine Substance-Use Concerns Without Creating Unnecessary Admissions — If treatment is legitimately appropriate, documented rehabilitation can be valuable. If the DUI is an isolated event, however, the defense should be cautious about unnecessarily characterizing the teacher as having a chronic substance problem when that conclusion is not supported.

Preparing for Trial — If prosecutors refuse a fair resolution, defense counsel can challenge the stop, officer observations, field sobriety testing, breath or blood evidence, toxicology, refusal allegations, and every statutory element before a jury.

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Key Issues in a Teacher DUI Case

A Colorado teacher facing DUI may have several different proceedings or decision-makers involved.

The criminal court determines whether the prosecution can prove DUI, DUI per se, or DWAI beyond a reasonable doubt. The DMV separately determines administrative license consequences. CDE may separately evaluate whether educator-licensing grounds exist. The school district may separately address employment issues under state law, district policies, and the employment contract.

Those processes should not be treated as though they are the same.

A DUI arrest does not automatically establish educator misconduct. An administrative driver’s license revocation does not automatically establish criminal guilt. A district employment action does not automatically require CDE to revoke the teaching license. And a misdemeanor conviction does not automatically create the same educator consequences as a felony.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Will I automatically lose my Colorado teaching license if I get a DUI?
No. An ordinary misdemeanor DUI is not specifically listed as an offense that automatically requires revocation of a Colorado educator license. Licensing consequences depend on the actual conviction and whether another statutory ground applies.

Can my school district find out about my DUI arrest?
Potentially. CDE’s licensing system provides authorized school districts with access to criminal-history information and subsequent arrest information received from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

Do I have to report a misdemeanor DUI when renewing my teaching license?
Colorado changed its disclosure law effective August 12, 2026. Applicants generally must report certain misdemeanor convictions from the previous seven years, but misdemeanor traffic offenses and infractions are generally excluded unless they fall within specified statutory categories. The current application language should be reviewed before answering.

Can I be fired as a teacher for a first DUI?
Not automatically. Colorado’s teacher dismissal statute identifies specific grounds such as neglect of duty, immorality, felony conviction, and other good and just cause. Whether an off-duty misdemeanor DUI supports dismissal depends on the facts, district policies, the teacher’s employment status, and the relationship between the conduct and professional duties.

Does a school district have to prove grounds for dismissal?
For teachers entitled to the statutory dismissal process, the district must proceed under C.R.S. § 22-63-302, and the administrator bears the burden of establishing the asserted grounds at the hearing.

Is felony DUI more serious for a teacher?
Yes. A felony conviction may support educator-license action when the State Board determines that it renders the educator unfit, and Colorado’s teacher employment statute expressly identifies felony conviction or certain felony pleas or deferred sentences as grounds for dismissal.

Can a teacher be charged with DUI for prescription medication?
Yes. Colorado DUI law applies to drugs as well as alcohol. Lawful possession of the prescription does not automatically prevent prosecution if the state claims the medication impaired driving.

What if the DUI happened completely outside of work?
That fact can be important. Colorado case law has recognized that private conduct is not automatically grounds for teacher dismissal when it has little or no relationship to students, fellow teachers, or the school community. The precise employment effect depends on the circumstances.

What if students were in the car?
The professional and criminal risks become considerably greater. The case may involve child-safety allegations or additional criminal charges, and the conduct has a much more direct connection to the teacher’s professional responsibilities.

Can CDE investigate criminal history even if I do not disclose it?
Yes. CDE can use fingerprint-based criminal-history checks, judicial records, law-enforcement information, and other criminal-history sources when reviewing applicants and license holders.

What happens if I lie on my educator license application?
Misrepresentation, fraud, misleading information, or intentionally untruthful statements in obtaining or attempting to obtain an educator credential can independently support denial or annulment.

Can I lose my driver’s license even if the DUI charge is dismissed?
Potentially. Colorado’s DMV proceeding is separate from the criminal case, so an administrative license action can survive even when the court case has a different result.

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Denver County Court Bond Information for Teachers Charged With DUI

A teacher arrested for DUI in Denver may have to address bond immediately, before the criminal case or any employment issue is resolved. Denver County Court’s current Criminal Bond Schedule is effective February 20, 2025.

DUI With No Prior DUI or DWAI — Denver County Court lists a charge under C.R.S. § 42-4-1301(1)(a) involving DUI with no prior DUI or DWAI convictions at a $1,500 personal recognizance bond. A PR bond generally allows the defendant to be released on a promise to comply with the bond and return to court rather than requiring the entire stated amount to be deposited.

DUI With a Prior DUI or DWAI — When the defendant has a prior DUI or DWAI, Denver County Court provides that the bond is to be set by a judicial officer at the first appearance rather than through the standard $1,500 PR schedule.

DWAI With No Prior DUI or DWAI — Denver County Court also lists a first qualifying DWAI at a $1,500 PR bond, while DWAI with a prior DUI or DWAI requires bond to be determined by a judicial officer at the first appearance.

Monitored Sobriety for Repeat DUI Defendants — The Denver County Court bond page states that under C.R.S. § 16-4-105(6)(a), a person with one or more previous qualifying DUI-related convictions must be ordered to monitored sobriety as a condition of bond. For a teacher, this condition can create scheduling and employment complications while the new case is still pending.

The bond schedule governs qualifying pre-arraignment release and does not guarantee the same bond in every DUI case. Charges involving child abuse, felony allegations, serious injuries, or other aggravating circumstances may require a separate judicial determination.

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Additional Resources

Colorado Department of Education – Educator Licensing — CDE administers Colorado educator licensing and provides information about teacher licenses, renewals, authorizations, endorsements, background checks, and licensing requirements. Teachers facing DUI should use CDE’s current materials rather than assuming older disclosure rules remain in effect, particularly because Colorado changed misdemeanor disclosure requirements in August 2026.

Colorado Department of Education – Colorado Online Licensing and Verification — CDE explains that authorized districts and charter schools can access current and historical license information, background-check status, fingerprint-based criminal-history information, and subsequent arrest information received from CBI. This resource helps explain why a school employer may become aware of an arrest independently of a teacher’s own disclosure.

Colorado Department of Education – Public School Mandatory Reporting — CDE provides a mandatory reporting process for qualifying matters involving current and former public-school employees. The form requests information concerning investigations, criminal charges, disciplinary actions, administrative leave, resignation, termination, and related personnel records when the statutory reporting requirements apply.

Colorado Department of Education – Credentialed Educator Concern Report — This resource explains how concerns about a licensed educator’s fitness to hold a credential may reach CDE. CDE emphasizes that its educator-enforcement jurisdiction concerns substantial conduct affecting professional fitness rather than every ordinary local employment disagreement.

Colorado General Assembly – HB26-1090 Teacher Licensing Requirements — This 2026 law significantly changed educator criminal-history disclosure rules and became effective August 12, 2026. It generally limits disclosure of ordinary misdemeanor convictions to the preceding seven years and excludes misdemeanor traffic offenses and infractions unless a specified statutory exception applies. This is particularly relevant to teachers dealing with DUI because outdated licensing advice may describe broader disclosure requirements that no longer reflect current law.

Colorado Revised Statutes § 22-60.5-107 – Grounds for Educator License Discipline — This is the key statute identifying criminal convictions and other conduct that may support denial, suspension, annulment, or revocation of an educator license. It is important because it demonstrates why an ordinary misdemeanor DUI should not automatically be treated the same as a felony, felony drug offense, sexual offense, or other specifically enumerated ground for educator discipline.

Colorado Revised Statutes § 22-63-301 – Grounds for Teacher Dismissal — This statute identifies the grounds on which a Colorado teacher may be dismissed, including neglect of duty, immorality, insubordination, felony conviction, and other good and just cause. It is useful for understanding why a DUI does not automatically equal termination and why the connection between the conduct and the teacher’s professional duties can matter.

Denver County Court – Criminal Division — Misdemeanor DUI and DWAI cases filed in Denver proceed through the Denver County Court Criminal Division rather than the ordinary traffic process. A teacher facing DUI in Denver can use this resource to understand where the court case proceeds and access court-related information while separately addressing CDE, employment, and DMV concerns.

Denver County Court – Traffic Division — Denver County Court’s Traffic Division handles ordinary traffic matters, but DUI cases proceed through the Criminal Division. This distinction is useful when a teacher receives separate traffic citations arising from the same DUI stop.

Denver County Court – Bonding & Warrants — Denver County Court’s February 20, 2025 criminal bond schedule lists a $1,500 PR bond for DUI and DWAI with no qualifying priors, while repeat DUI/DWAI defendants require a bond determination by a judicial officer. The page also explains the statutory monitored-sobriety condition imposed on defendants with qualifying prior impaired-driving convictions.

Colorado DMV – The DUI Process — Colorado DMV explains that DUI involves two separate paths: the criminal court proceeding and the administrative driver’s license proceeding. This distinction can be particularly important to teachers who need to continue commuting to work or traveling between schools while their criminal case is pending.

Colorado DMV – DUI Administrative Process — This DMV resource explains hearing deadlines, administrative revocation, reinstatement, ignition interlock, Persistent Drunk Driver status, SR-22 insurance, and treatment requirements. Teachers should pay particular attention to DMV deadlines because license consequences may begin well before criminal court reaches a final disposition.

Colorado Department of Transportation – Impaired Driving — CDOT provides information about DUI enforcement, alcohol and drug impairment, statewide enforcement campaigns, BAC issues, and Colorado’s impaired-driving prevention efforts. Teachers facing DUI can use this resource to understand the broader enforcement framework under which alcohol- and drug-related stops are conducted.

No DUI Colorado — No DUI Colorado was developed through Colorado’s Persistent Drunk Driver Committee and provides public information about DUI court proceedings, DMV consequences, refusal, treatment, ignition interlock, prescription drugs, and other impaired-driving issues. It is a useful plain-language supplement to the statutes and official DMV materials.

National College for DUI Defense – Colorado DUI Laws — NCDD provides a defense-oriented overview of Colorado DUI, DWAI, testing, refusal, criminal penalties, licensing consequences, and related issues. It can help teachers identify legal questions to discuss with defense counsel, although current Colorado statutes and official agency materials should control when evaluating the law.

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Finding a DUI Defense Attorney for Teachers in Denver and Colorado

A DUI charge can put a Colorado teacher in a difficult position because several different systems may become involved at once. The criminal court determines guilt and sentencing. The DMV separately controls driving privileges. The Colorado Department of Education can obtain and review criminal-history information. The school district may have its own employment policies and statutory authority. A mistake made in one proceeding can therefore create consequences in another.

At the same time, a DUI arrest should not automatically be treated as proof that a teacher is unfit to educate students. Colorado law distinguishes ordinary misdemeanor traffic offenses from felonies and from the serious categories of misconduct that expressly support educator-license discipline. School employment law likewise requires an actual legal basis for dismissal rather than allowing every private mistake to be treated as professional misconduct.

At the Law Office of Matthew A. Martin, P.C., we defend teachers, educators, school employees, and other licensed professionals facing DUI, DWAI, high BAC DUI, drug DUI, prescription drug DUI, refusal, repeat DUI, and felony DUI allegations in Denver and throughout Colorado. We investigate the stop, chemical testing, body-camera evidence, DMV case, and prosecution’s impairment theory while considering how the disposition may affect the client’s teaching career.

If you are a teacher charged with DUI in Denver or the surrounding area, call (303) 725-0017 today to schedule your free consultation.

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