Keith Karnes

Colorado Springs family law and criminal defense attorney Keith Tyler Karnes was born and raised in Colorado.

Keith graduated from Rampart High School and earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Colorado State University-Pueblo in Pueblo, CO, graduating Cum Laude in 2016. At CSUP, Keith was an NCAA Division II collegiate wrestler, four-time NCAA Division II Academic All-American, seven-time dean’s list honorary recipient, and eight-time athletic director’s honor roll recipient.

Keith earned his Juris Doctor degree from the Western State College of Law in Irvine, CA, graduating Cum Laude in 2019. Keith demonstrated his dedication to public service throughout law school and received a certificate of exemplary public service requiring over 200 community service hours.

While a law student in the summer of 2017, Keith completed an externship in Israel for Bizchut, The Israel Human Rights Center for People with Disabilities, to formulate a statute of alternatives for the Knesset for better treatment opportunities for patients with disabilities in psychiatric hospitals. Additionally, Keith externed in the spring semester for the Legal Aid Society of Orange County (now known as “Community Legal Aid SoCal”) in 2018. Keith assisted in bankruptcy matters, landlord-tenant disputes, and family law matters.

Keith also interned at the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office in Colorado Springs, CO, in the appellate and county court divisions in 2018 and 2019. During his internship, Keith took advantage of every opportunity, both in the courtroom and writing multiple appellate briefs, before graduating from law school in 2019.

Keith passed the July 2019 Colorado Bar Examination on his first attempt. Shortly after, he began his legal career as a Deputy District Attorney in November 2019 in the 11th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, covering Fremont, Custer, Chaffee, and Park counties. Having worked primarily in Canon City, Keith has unique experience prosecuting cases within the Department of Corrections.

In December 2020, Keith became a Deputy District Attorney in the 10th Judicial District Attorney’s Office serving the People of Pueblo County. Keith earned a reputation for not backing down from trial, and when appropriate, creativity in resolving cases through other means such as probation, diversion, inpatient treatment, restorative justice programs, etc.

Throughout Keith’s his career as a prosecutor, he took over 45 cases to a jury and court trials in the 4th, 10th, and 11th Judicial Districts to include various misdemeanor and felony cases: Driving under the influence, driving under a suspended license, domestic violence, criminal mischief, harassment, assault, leaving the scene of an accident, protection order violations, and introduction of contraband into prison.

In September 2021, Keith entered into private practice focusing his practice areas on criminal defense and family law. Keith developed a deep understanding of the intricacies of family law and criminal defense. In Keith’s criminal defense practice he aggressively defended multiple types of cases to include: Assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated robbery, DUIs, domestic violence, protection orders, and various types of traffic related matters. In addition, Keith has experience in multiple areas of family law to include: contested divorces, uncontested divorces, allocation of parental responsibilities, parenting time and decision making, child abductions, child relocations, child support, spousal maintenance, contempt, and post decree modifications.

Keith utilized his skills he has developed in private practice to bolster his trial advocacy skills, how to effectively present legal arguments to judges persuasively, and what salient points to argue at trial. Keith brings his relentless passion, work ethic, and tenacity to every client he represents. Keith has honed his courtroom skills as a former prosecutor and will zealously advocate for his clients in every step of the case. Keith is well known and respected in the legal community, practicing law in multiple Colorado jurisdictions.