Colo. Rev. Stat. » Title 18
Colorado Revised Statutes

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-6-201 (2026)

Bigamy

✓ current as of July 2026
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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.

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.

Cross references: (1) For the "Uniform Marriage Act", see article 2 of title 14; for the "Uniform Dissolution of Marriage Act", see article 10 of title 14. (2) For the legislative declaration in SB 16-150, see section 1 of chapter 263, Session Laws of Colorado 2016.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 8 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1985–2021 · leading case: In re Marriage of Hogsett & Neale, 2021 CO 1 (Colo. 2021).
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In re Marriage of Hogsett & Neale, 2021 CO 1 (Colo. 2021). · cites it 2× “(2020) (requiring equitable division of marital property upon divorce); § 15-11-102, C.”
State v. Green, 2004 UT 76 (Utah 2004). · cites it 4× “See Colo.Rev.Stat. § 18-6-201 (2003) ("Any married person who, while still married, marries or cohabits in this state with another commits bigamy.”
In re the Marriage of Edi L. HOGSETT v. Marcia E. NEALE, 478 P.3d 713 (Colo. 2021). “( 2020 ) ( prohibiting forgery of false tax returns ) ; § 18-6-201 (2) , C.R.S. ( 2020 ) ( specifying that bigamy is a class 6 felony ) ; § 18-6-301 (1) , C.”
Estes v. State, 546 S.W.3d 691 (Tex. Crim. App. 2018). “§ 76-7-101 (2017) ; Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-6-201 (2016) ; D.C.”
Rowe v. People, 856 P.2d 486 (Colo. 1993). · cites it 2× “, § 18-6-201(1), 8B C.R.S. (1986) (bigamy); § 18-8-508, 8B C.”
Ferguson v. People, 824 P.2d 803 (Colo. 1992). · cites it 2× “) (sexual relations between persons related within specified degrees of kinship proscribed as incest); § 18-7-201, 8B C.”
Potter v. Murray City, 760 F.2d 1065 (10th Cir. 1985). “, Colo.Rev.Stat. § 18-6-201 (1978); Kan.Stat.”
People v. Tucker, 755 P.2d 452 (Colo. 1988). “See § 18-6-201, 8B C.R.S. (1986). Your conduct violated C.”
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-6-201(1) — 1 case
Rowe v. People, 856 P.2d 486 (Colo. 1993). “, § 18-6-201(1), 8B C.R.S. (1986) (bigamy); § 18-8-508, 8B C.”
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-6-201(2) — 1 case
In re Marriage of Hogsett & Neale, 2021 CO 1 (Colo. 2021). “(2020) (requiring equitable division of marital property upon divorce); § 15-11-102, C.”
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