Mental Health Criminal Defense

The intersection of the criminal justice system and a behavioral health crisis is a hard crossroads to navigate. Mental Health Criminal Defense: A Primer is here to teach you the basics so that you, or someone you love, can understand how to use mental health related circumstances to prevail in a criminal case.

The intersection of the criminal justice system and a behavioral health crisis is a hard crossroads to navigate. Mental Health Criminal Defense: A Primer is here to teach you the basics so that you, or someone you love, can understand how to use mental health related circumstances to prevail in a criminal case. Mental Health Criminal Defense: A Primer will teach you the terms and proceedings most often seen in mental health related cases, things that you can do to aid your loved one going through the system, and point you in the direction of some basic resources to help you along the journey. Our country is facing a crisis of criminalization of mental health related issues. For those facing charges, along with conditions such as serious mental illness, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, or severe mood disorders, and their families, there is so much fear and confusion. Knowledge is the first step to success in your case, and stigma should not keep you from a winning defense to your charges.

Jennifer Longtin founded JLongtin Law to serve the community's criminal defense needs in a new way. Dedicated to serving the mentally ill who are involved in the criminal justice system; she litigates issues of competency, sanity, and uses a client's situation and history to find treatment alternatives to incarceration. Jennifer has worked with veterans, those suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury, victims of domestic violence, individuals with serious mental illness and mood disorders, and the developmentally delayed, making sure that the prosecution understands how their unique life experiences play into their current situation and needs. Jennifer is an attorney who is passionate about seeking justice for all people. She is a former Colorado State Public Defender with experience in trial, negotiation, and appellate work. Jennifer has tried cases ranging from simple traffic offenses and DUIs to murder and complex sex offenses. She has argued and briefed cases in front of the Colorado Supreme Court, as well as the Colorado Court of Appeals. She has appealed felony and misdemeanor convictions and litigated post-conviction proceedings including motions for sentence reconsideration and petitions regarding ineffective assistance of counsel. Jennifer believes that trial is only the beginning of the fight for her client's liberty. Jennifer is dedicated to moving both the criminal justice system and the legal profession into the future. She serves as the Alternative Defense Counsel Representative to the Colorado General Assembly's Treatment of Persons with Mental Health Disorders in the Criminal Justice System to provide a voice, at the state level, for the concerns of clients in the system. Jennifer is a board member of NAMI Colorado, where she supports families and individuals in finding compassionate support for their mental health needs. Jennifer is also involved in providing training to community members and attorneys, in Colorado and across the United States, in mental health specific representation. Jennifer lives in Denver with her amazing husband and two (mostly) perfect kiddos.