Colorado § 18-6-201 Bigamy

Colorado Statutes

§ 18-6-201 — Bigamy

Colorado § 18-6-201

Title 18Criminal

Art.Offenses Involving the

This text of Colorado § 18-6-201 (Bigamy) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-6-201 (2026).

Text

(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

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(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.

Legislative History

Source: L. 71: R&RE, p. 447, � 1. C.R.S. 1963: � 40-6-201. L. 89: (2) amended, p. 839, � 76, effective July 1. L. 2016: Entire section amended, (SB 16-150), ch. 263, p. 1081, � 7, effective July 1. L. 2021: (2) amended, (SB 21-271), ch. 462, p. 3191, � 257, effective March 1, 2022.