In Colorado, "domestic violence" is not actually a criminal charge in and of itself. Rather, it's a label that can be attached to various offenses to indicate the context within which they occurred. This is particularly important because of the way that a domestic violence conviction can impact your ability to own a gun.
Domestic violence charges can allow the court to demand that all of your firearms be relinquished and assert that you are not allowed to be in possession of any firearms both during and after the time that the case is pending.
If you are convicted of a domestic violence offense, you will be prohibited from purchasing, owning, or possessing a firearm at any point in the future, making it impossible for you to participate in military service. In fact, even a minor charge of criminal mischief in a domestic setting – for example, breaking a picture frame or punching a wall – will cause these collateral consequences.
As with any criminal offense, domestic violence cases vary widely in the potential penalties that can be imposed. If you are convicted, you could face no jail time and a fine, all the way up to a mandatory prison sentence. It all depends on how serious the domestic violence charges are that you're facing.
In any case, it’s important to note that even the most minor domestic violence convictions carry collateral consequences that can change your life if they're not avoided.