Denver criminal defense attorney Mark Savoy had the best available training to fight criminal allegations: As a deputy district attorney with the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, Mark learned firsthand how “the other side” thinks. Now he uses that insider information to stay one step ahead of prosecutors in his pursuit of reduced and dismissed criminal charges for his clients.
Mark has also gained invaluable experience by working at Legal Aid and the Legislative Research Department.
Mark explains his approach to cases:
When handling a case, I stay true to the work. Every client and case is different. Accordingly, each case deserves a unique approach, tailored to the client’s specific situation. The one through line, however, is that working without a fear of failure is critical to success. Often, opportunities will arise, particularly in felony cases, when we force the government to account for their failings in front of a judge, call witnesses who are less than credible once called to the stand, or frankly, just make the prosecution juggle multiple items at once.
Notable Cases
2025 – People v. M.M. (Jefferson County): Working alongside the remarkably talented Chloe Gleichman, Mark took an 11-count case to trial and won. Six of the charges were felony sex charges, another was a strangulation charge, and a few others were misdemeanors. In the end, Client was acquitted of all charges against him. Client’s case was then sealed.
2024 – People v. C.M. (Denver County): Client was charged with assault of some firefighters. Mark elected to run Not Guilty By Reason of Insanity after the government stubbornly refused to acknowledge how important Client’s mental health was to what transpired in the case. Client was found not guilty and the case against him was sealed.
2023 – People v. G.P. (Adams County): While on parole, Client was horrendously overcharged with six counts of attempted murder. At the start of this case, Mark met Client in a hospital where he was being treated for gunshot wounds. Mark informed Client that he needed to invoke his right to remain silent and not speak to police without an attorney. Client would end up beating all of the attempted murder charges and was placed on probation.
2022 – People v. J.K. (Jefferson County): Client was charged with a class 3 felony – leaving the scene involving death – which carried four to 12 years in prison. Mark convinced the prosecutors that they could not prove Client knowingly drove from the scene of a traffic fatality. Ultimately, Client pleaded to misdemeanors that resulted in no jail time.
2022 – People v. J.K. (Jefferson County): Client was charged with heinous sex assault charges. After litigating the case thoroughly for years, Mark objected to a Motion to Continue when the government failed to show that their key witness would be unavailable for trial. The Court agreed with the objection based on lingering uncertainty about the witness’s subsequent availability. A case that could have resulted in a functional life sentence resolved with a dismissal and record seal.
Education
- J.D., University of Kansas School of Law – 2014
- B.A. in Political Science and Sociology, Kansas State University – 2011
Bar Admissions
- Colorado since 2017
- Kansas since 2016
Podcast Appearances
- “Scaling Justice: Leading The Charge in Colorado Criminal Defense” – The Lawman’s Lounge – Season 6, Episode 22 (October 22, 2025)