Colorado statute

C.R.S. § 18-9-111 — Harassment - Kiana Arellano's Law.

Current through 2025 Regular Session

Part of Part 1: PUBLIC PEACE AND ORDER, Colorado Revised Statutes.

Criminal charges under this statute

Harassment

Full text of C.R.S. § 18-9-111

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.

C.R.S. § 18-9-111Primary source, current through the 2025 Regular Session

(1) A person commits harassment if, with intent to harass, annoy, or alarm another person, the person: (a) Strikes, shoves, kicks, or otherwise touches a person or subjects him to physical contact; or (b) In a public place directs obscene language or makes an obscene gesture to or at another person; or (c) Follows a person in or about a public place; or (d) Repealed. (e) Directly or indirectly initiates communication with a person or directs language toward another person, anonymously or otherwise, by telephone, telephone network, data network, text message, instant message, computer, computer network, computer system, or other interactive electronic medium in a manner intended to harass or threaten bodily injury or property damage, or makes any comment, request, suggestion, or proposal by telephone, computer, computer network, computer system, or other interactive electronic medium that is obscene; or (f) Makes a telephone call or causes a telephone to ring repeatedly, whether or not a conversation ensues, with no purpose of legitimate conversation; or (g) Makes repeated communications at inconvenient hours that invade the privacy of another and interfere in the use and enjoyment of another's home or private residence or other private property; or (h) Repeatedly insults, taunts, challenges, or makes communications in offensively coarse language to another in a manner likely to provoke a violent or disorderly response; or (i) Wrongfully interferes with a transit worker performing a lawful duty. (1.5) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires, "obscene" means a patently offensive description of ultimate sexual acts or solicitation to commit ultimate sexual acts, whether or not said ultimate sexual acts are normal or perverted, actual or simulated, including masturbation, cunnilingus, fellatio, anilingus, or excretory functions. (2) (a) A person who violates subsection (1)(a), (1)(c), or (1)(i) of this section or violates subsection (1) of this section with the intent to intimidate or harass another person, in whole or in part, because of that person's actual or perceived race; color; religion; ancestry; national origin; physical or mental disability, as defined in section 18-9-121; sexual orientation, as defined in section 18-9-121; or transgender identity commits a class 1 misdemeanor. (b) A person who violates subsection (1)(e), (1)(f), (1)(g), or (1)(h) of this section commits a class 2 misdemeanor. (c) A person who violates subsection (1)(b) of this section commits a petty offense. (3) Any act prohibited by paragraph (e) of subsection (1) of this section may be deemed to have occurred or to have been committed at the place at which the telephone call, electronic mail, or other electronic communication was either made or received. (4) to (6) Repealed. (7) Paragraph (e) of subsection (1) of this section shall be known and may be cited as "Kiana Arellano's Law". (8) This section is not intended to infringe upon any right guaranteed to any person by the first amendment to the United States constitution or to prevent the expression of any religious, political, or philosophical views.

Official sources

Legal terms used in this section

Questions this section answers

Is harassment a felony or a misdemeanor in Colorado?

It depends on the circumstances: harassment ranges from a petty offense to a class 1 misdemeanor in Colorado under C.R.S. § 18-9-111.

Harassment by physical contact, following, or interference with transit worker (or bias-motivated): class 1 misdemeanor (C.R.S. § 18-9-111(2)(a)) · Harassment by electronic communication, repeated phone calls, inconvenient-hour communications, or repeated insults: class 2 misdemeanor (C.R.S. § 18-9-111(2)(b)) · Harassment by obscene language or gesture in public: petty offense (C.R.S. § 18-9-111(2)(c))

Which Colorado statute covers harassment?

Harassment is governed by C.R.S. § 18-9-111 (Harassment - Kiana Arellano's Law).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.