Colorado statute
C.R.S. § 18-6-201 — Bigamy.
Current through 2025 Regular Session
Part of Part 2: BIGAMY, Colorado Revised Statutes.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of C.R.S. § 18-6-201
Statutory text current through the 2025 Regular Session. This is an officially sanctioned publication using the official text of the Colorado Revised Statutes; it is not the official statutes of the State of Colorado.
(1) Any married person who, while still married, marries, enters into a civil union, or cohabits in this state with another person commits bigamy, unless as an affirmative defense it appears that at the time of the cohabitation, subsequent marriage, or subsequent civil union: (a) The accused reasonably believed the prior spouse to be dead; or (b) The prior spouse had been continually absent for a period of five years during which time the accused did not know the prior spouse to be alive; or (c) The accused reasonably believed that he or she was legally eligible to remarry or legally eligible to enter into a civil union. (1.5) Any person who is a partner in a civil union, while still legally in a civil union, who marries, enters into another civil union, or cohabits in the state with another person other than a current partner in a civil union, commits bigamy, unless as an affirmative defense it appears that at the time of the cohabitation or subsequent marriage or subsequent civil union: (a) The accused reasonably believed the prior partner to be dead; or (b) The prior partner had been continually absent for a period of five years during which time the accused did not know the prior partner to be alive; or (c) The accused reasonably believed that he or she was legally eligible to marry or legally eligible to enter into a civil union. (2) Bigamy is a class 2 misdemeanor.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
Questions this section answers
Is bigamy a felony or a misdemeanor in Colorado?
Bigamy is a class 2 misdemeanor in Colorado under C.R.S. § 18-6-201.
Which Colorado statute covers bigamy?
Bigamy is governed by C.R.S. § 18-6-201 (Bigamy).
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.