(1) The use of physical force upon another person that would otherwise constitute an offense is justifiable and not criminal under any of the following circumstances:
(a) A parent, guardian, or other person entrusted with the care and supervision of a minor or an incompetent person, and a teacher or other person entrusted with the care and supervision of a minor, may use reasonable and appropriate physical force upon the minor or incompetent person when and to the extent it is reasonably necessary and appropriate to maintain discipline or promote the welfare of the minor or incompetent person.
(b) A superintendent or other authorized official of a jail, prison, or correctional institution may, in order to maintain order and discipline, use objectively reasonable and appropriate physical force when and to the extent that he or she reasonably believes it necessary to maintain order and discipline, but he or she may use deadly physical force only when he or she objectively reasonably believes the inmate poses an immediate threat to the person using deadly force or another person.
(c) A person responsible for the maintenance of order in a common carrier of passengers, or a person acting under his direction, may use reasonable and appropriate physical force when and to the extent that it is necessary to maintain order and discipline, but he may use deadly physical force only when it is reasonably necessary to prevent death or serious bodily injury.
(d) A person acting under a reasonable belief that another person is about to commit suicide or to inflict serious bodily injury upon himself may use reasonable and appropriate physical force upon that person to the extent that it is reasonably necessary to thwart the result.
(e) A duly licensed physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or a person acting under his or her direction, may use reasonable and appropriate physical force for the purpose of administering a recognized form of treatment that he or she reasonably believes to be adapted to promoting the physical or mental health of the patient if:
(I) The treatment is administered with the consent of the patient, or if the patient is a minor or an incompetent person, with the consent of his parent, guardian, or other person entrusted with his care and supervision; or
(II) The treatment is administered in an emergency when the physician or advanced practice registered nurse reasonably believes that no one competent to consent can be consulted and that a reasonable person, wishing to safeguard the welfare of the patient, would consent.
Source: L. 71: R&RE, p. 408, § 1. C.R.S. 1963: § 40-1-803. L. 76: (1)(b) amended, p. 534, § 15, effective April 9. L. 81: (1)(b) to (1)(d) amended, p. 980, § 2, effective May 13. L. 2008: IP(1)(e) and (1)(e)(II) amended, p. 128, § 8, effective January 1, 2009. L. 2020: IP(1) and
(1)(b) amended, (SB 20-217), ch. 110, p. 453, § 4, effective September 1.
Cross references: (1) For the justified use of weapons or other aid to enforce obedience at state correctional facilities, see § 17-20-122; for the use of force in preventing escape from a detention facility, see § 18-1-707 (8); for provisions concerning child abuse, see §§ 18-6-401 and 19-3-102 and part 3 of article 3 of title 19; for the use of force in administering medication to persons with mental illness, see § 27-65-111 (5).
(2) For the legislative declaration in SB 20-217, see section 1 of chapter 110, Session Laws of Colorado 2020.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in
21
cases (
8 in the last 5 years), 1979–2026 · leading case:
People v. Taggart, 621 P.2d 1375 (Colo. 1981).
People v. Taggart, 621 P.2d 1375 (Colo. 1981).
· cites it 6× “Our construction in Hoehl aligned the statute with the overriding legislative intent of prohibiting conduct that exceeds the bounds of reasonable and appropriate parental or custodial discipline, see section 18-1-703(1)(a), C.R.S.1973 (1978 Repl.”
The People of the State of Colorado v. Patrick Rau., 2022 CO 3 (Colo. 2022).
· cites it 2× “5, multiple affirmative defense statutes justifying the use of physical force: the use of physical force-special relationships, see § 18-1-703, C.R.S. (2021); the use of physical force in defense of a person, see § 18-1-704, C.”
Willis v. State, 888 N.E.2d 177 (Ind. 2008).
“2007); Colo.Rev.Stat. Ann. § 18-1-703(1)(a) (2007); Conn.”
People v. Brandyberry, 812 P.2d 674 (Colo. Ct. App. 1990).
· cites it 2× “See § 18-1-701 and §§ 18-1-703 through 18-1-709, C.R.S. (1986 Repl.”
United States v. Best, 476 F. Supp. 34 (D. Colo. 1979).
· cites it 2× “(1) Unless inconsistent with other provisions of section 18-1-703 to 18-1-707, defining justifiable use of physical force, or with some other provision of law, conduct which would otherwise constitute an offense is justifiable and not criminal when it is necessary as an…”
Commonwealth v. Dorvil, 32 N.E.3d 861 (Mass. 2015).
“§ 16-3-20 (permitting “the reasonable discipline of a minor by his parent or a person in loco parentis”); La.”
The PEOPLE of the State of Colorado v. Patrick RAU, 501 P.3d 803 (Colo. 2022).
· cites it 2× “5 , multiple affirmative defense statutes justifying the use of physical force: the use of physical force—special relationships, see § 18-1-703, C.R.S. ( 2021 ) ; the use of physical force in defense of a person, see § 18-1-704, C.”
People v. Cardenas, 592 P.2d 1348 (Colo. Ct. App. 1979).
· cites it 2× “In particular, the court found the phrase "may endanger the child's life or health" must be explained as meaning a reasonable probability of endangerment, and the phrase "without justifiable excuse" referred to the justifications for physical force enumerated in §…”
State v. Patterson, 2025 Ohio 280 (Ohio Ct. App. 2025).
“Penal Code §§ 195 through 199; Colo. Rev. Stat. §§ 18-1-703 through 18-1-707; Conn.”
People v. Strock, 623 P.2d 42 (Colo. 1981).
“8), provides: “(1) Unless inconsistent with other provisions of sections 18-1-703 to 18-1-707, defining justifiable use of physical force, or with some other provision of law, conduct which would otherwise constitute an offense is justifiable and not criminal when it is…”
People v. Nord, 790 P.2d 311 (Colo. 1990).
“(1986), states as follows: (1) Unless inconsistent with other provisions of sections 18-1-703 to 18-1-707, defining justifiable use of physical force, or with some other provision of law, conduct which would otherwise constitute an offense is justifiable and not criminal when it…”
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-1-703(1)(a) — 3 cases
People v. Taggart, 621 P.2d 1375 (Colo. 1981).
“Our construction in Hoehl aligned the statute with the overriding legislative intent of prohibiting conduct that exceeds the bounds of reasonable and appropriate parental or custodial discipline, see section 18-1-703(1)(a), C.R.S.1973 (1978 Repl.”
Willis v. State, 888 N.E.2d 177 (Ind. 2008).
“2007); Colo.Rev.Stat. Ann. § 18-1-703(1)(a) (2007); Conn.”
People v. Cardenas, 592 P.2d 1348 (Colo. Ct. App. 1979).
“In particular, the court found the phrase "may endanger the child's life or health" must be explained as meaning a reasonable probability of endangerment, and the phrase "without justifiable excuse" referred to the justifications for physical force enumerated in §…”
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-1-703(1)(a)(c) — 1 case
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-1-703(1)(d) — 2 cases
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-1-703(1)(e) — 1 case
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-1-703(1)(e)(I) — 1 case
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-1-703(1)(e)(II) — 3 cases
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the
Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and
treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.