Stephen Anderson | Colorado Springs Criminal Defense Lawyer

After serving a four year enlistment as an infantry sergeant, I elected to go to law school instead of Ranger school. Reluctantly, I left Colorado and attended Southwestern Law School, participating in the honors mock trial program and ultimately a judicial internship with the Honorable Robert M. Takasugi, United States District Court Judge, Central District of California.

I graduated in 1984 and was successful on passing the California Bar on the first attempt. I was recruited out of law school by Bottum, Rady and Faliton as an associate in a rapidly growing insurance defense firm specializing in civil litigation. In my first year of practice I tried my first civil jury trial and after three weeks, the jury agreed my client was not responsible for the plaintiff’s damages.

I was fortunate enough to get involved in police litigation where officers were accused of violating people’s civil rights and was immersed in police tactics, training, and protocols. In addition, I was certified by Los Angeles Police Department to conduct horizontal gaze nystagmus testing to detect alcohol impairment in suspected intoxicated drivers.

After four years of practice in California, I was ready to return to Colorado Springs. I applied to the El Paso County District Attorney’s office, awaiting Colorado Bar results. However, without results until October 1988, I was actually recruited by both the Army and Air Force Judge Advocates program.

I was blessed to join the ranks as an Air Force JAG officer and assigned to Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. In four years I had risen to the rank of Chief Trial Counsel advising the Commander of criminal prosecution and conducting over twenty court martials. In addition, I also coached Falcon High School’s first mock trial program and successfully brought an all female team of student litigators to the Colorado State championship, taking second in state.

While in the Air Force, I was involved in the El Paso County Bar association, and was recruited by Jeanne Smith, Assistant District Attorney to join in civilian prosecutions. In slightly over two years I had conducted over one hundred jury trials to completion, argued on behalf of the people before the Colorado Supreme Court, and was instrumental in training countless young lawyers to become strong advocates.

During this time I became engaged to a Deputy District Attorney and decided it was time to establish my own firm. In October 1994, I married Joy Carnahan and set up my firm the same month. Over these past nineteen years we have had the privilege of representing countless clients at a time when their legal troubles were overwhelming their lives.

Almost one half of our clients are active duty. Including soldiers from Fort Carson, airmen and officers from Peterson and Schriever Air Force bases, and especially cadets at the United States Air Force Academy. Our practice has been devoted to criminal defense with a predominant emphasis in alcohol and drug related driving offenses.

Position	Organization	Location	Duration
Lawyer	Anderson & Carnahan	Colorado Springs, CO	Present

School	Degree	Major	Graduation
Southwestern University School of Law	J.D.	Law School	1984
California State University, California Polytechnic State University	Bachelors		N/A
USAF Judge Advocate School	Officer		12/1988

State / Court	Date
10th Circuit	1988
Colorado	1988
9th Circuit	1984

• Colorado State Bar
  Colorado Criminal Defense Bar Association

• Distinguished Lawyer | Lawyers of Distinction | 2018
  Ten Best - DUI Attorneys | American Institute of DUI/DWI Attorneys | 2016
  BV Rated | Martindale-Hubbell | 2015

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