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Current as of January 01, 2022 | Updated by FindLaw Staff
(1) If the offense charged is a felony, a level 1 drug misdemeanor, or a class 1 misdemeanor or if the maximum penalty for the offense charged is more than one year's imprisonment, the defendant must be personally present for arraignment; except that the court, for good cause shown, may accept a plea of not guilty made by an attorney representing the defendant without requiring the defendant to be personally present. In all prosecutions for lesser offenses, the defendant may appear by his or her attorney who may enter a plea on his or her behalf. If the defendant appears personally for a charge that is not in title 42, the court may advise the defendant of the possibility that restorative justice practices may be part of a sentence, if available in the jurisdiction.
(2) If a plea of guilty or nolo contendere (no contest) is entered by counsel in the absence of the defendant, the court may command the appearance of the defendant in person for the imposition of sentence.
Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Colorado Revised Statutes Title 16. Criminal Proceedings § 16-7-202. Presence of defendant - last updated January 01, 2022 | https://codes.findlaw.com/co/title-16-criminal-proceedings/co-rev-st-sect-16-7-202.html
FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature or via Westlaw before relying on it for your legal needs.
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