Colorado criminal charge
Interference with staff, faculty, or students of educational institutions in Colorado
Current through 2026 Colorado legislative session
Interference with staff, faculty, or students of educational institutions is a criminal offense under Colorado law, defined by C.R.S. § 18-9-109. Its classification is not fixed: Colorado assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.
Defined by C.R.S. § 18-9-109.
What is the penalty for interference with staff, faculty, or students of educational institutions in Colorado?
| Penalty | Range | Basis | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jail / prison | up to 10 days (no statutory minimum) (Denial of freedom of movement, use of facilities, or ingress/egress (subsection (1)) — Applies when a person violates subsection (1) by willfully denying lawful freedom of movement, use of property/facilities, or ingress/egress to students, officials, employees, or invitees.) | discretionary | C.R.S. § 18-1.3-503 |
| Fine | up to 300 usd (no statutory minimum) (Denial of freedom of movement, use of facilities, or ingress/egress (subsection (1)) — Applies when a person violates subsection (1) by willfully denying lawful freedom of movement, use of property/facilities, or ingress/egress to students, officials, employees, or invitees.) | discretionary | C.R.S. § 18-1.3-503 |
| Jail / prison | up to 120 days (no statutory minimum) (Impeding staff, faculty, or students through coercion or force (subsection (2)) — Applies when a person violates subsection (2) or (3) by willfully impeding staff, faculty, or a student through restraint, abduction, coercion, intimidation, or force/violence, or by refusing to leave upon lawful request while disrupting institutional functions.) | discretionary | C.R.S. § 18-1.3-501 |
| Fine | up to 750 usd (no statutory minimum) (Impeding staff, faculty, or students through coercion or force (subsection (2)) — Applies when a person violates subsection (2) or (3) by willfully impeding staff, faculty, or a student through restraint, abduction, coercion, intimidation, or force/violence, or by refusing to leave upon lawful request while disrupting institutional functions.) | discretionary | C.R.S. § 18-1.3-501 |
| Jail / prison | up to 364 days (no statutory minimum) (Credible threat of death or bodily injury with a deadly weapon — Applies when a person knowingly makes or conveys a credible threat to cause death or bodily injury with a deadly weapon against a student, school official, employee, or invitee of an educational institution.) | discretionary | C.R.S. § 18-1.3-501 |
| Fine | up to 1000 usd (no statutory minimum) (Credible threat of death or bodily injury with a deadly weapon — Applies when a person knowingly makes or conveys a credible threat to cause death or bodily injury with a deadly weapon against a student, school official, employee, or invitee of an educational institution.) | discretionary | C.R.S. § 18-1.3-501 |
Applies to offenses on/after 2022-03-01 (SB21-271).
How is interference with staff, faculty, or students of educational institutions classified in Colorado?
The classification depends on the circumstances:
| Variant | Classification | When it applies | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denial of freedom of movement, use of facilities, or ingress/egress (subsection (1)) | petty offense | Applies when a person violates subsection (1) by willfully denying lawful freedom of movement, use of property/facilities, or ingress/egress to students, officials, employees, or invitees. | 18-9-109(5)(b) |
| Impeding staff, faculty, or students through coercion or force (subsection (2)) | class 2 misdemeanor | Applies when a person violates subsection (2) or (3) by willfully impeding staff, faculty, or a student through restraint, abduction, coercion, intimidation, or force/violence, or by refusing to leave upon lawful request while disrupting institutional functions. | 18-9-109(5)(a) |
| Credible threat of death or bodily injury with a deadly weapon | class 1 misdemeanor | Applies when a person knowingly makes or conveys a credible threat to cause death or bodily injury with a deadly weapon against a student, school official, employee, or invitee of an educational institution. | 18-9-109(6)(c) |
Legal terms used in this law
This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.