Nonsupport

C.R.S. tit. 14, art. 6
in effect

C.R.S. § 14-6-101 Nonsupport of spouse and children - penalty

14-6-101. Nonsupport of spouse and children - penalty. (1) Any person who willfully neglects, fails, or refuses to provide reasonable support and maintenance for his spouse or for his children under eighteen years of age, whether natural, adopted, or whose parentage has been judicially determined, or who willfully fails, refuses, or neglects to provide proper care, food, and clothing in case of sickness for his spouse or such children or any such children being legally the inmates of a state or county home or school for children in this state, or who willfully fails or refuses to pay to a trustee, who may be appointed by the court to receive such payment, or to the board of control of such home or school the reasonable cost of keeping such children in said home, or any person, being the father or mother of children under eighteen years of age, who leaves such children with intent to abandon such children, or any man who willfully neglects, fails, or refuses to provide proper care, food, and clothing to the mother of his child during childbirth and attendant illness is guilty of a class 5 felony. It shall be an affirmative defense, as defined in section 18-1-407, C.R.S., to a prosecution under this section that owing to physical incapacity or other good cause the defendant is unable to furnish the support, care, and maintenance required by this section. No child shall be deemed to lack proper care for the sole reason that he is being provided remedial treatment in accordance with section 19-3-103, C.R.S. (2) Repealed.

C.R.S. § 14-6-103 Extradition

14-6-103. Extradition. It is the duty of the district attorney or other proper officer, in any such case where the defendant is beyond the state of Colorado, to take all necessary and proper steps and proceedings to extradite such defendant and to obtain a requisition from the governor of the state of Colorado to the governor of the state in which such defendant may be found in order to secure his return from such state to the jurisdiction in which the case is being prosecuted. Extradition under this article shall be governed in accordance with the provisions of article 19 of title 16, C.R.S.

C.R.S. § 14-6-104 Jurisdiction

14-6-104. Jurisdiction. Courts of record in this state shall have jurisdiction under this article as provided in this section, and a complaint or information for the violation of this article may be filed in any court of record by the prosecuting attorney or other appropriate agency or before the county court of the county in which such offense defined in section 14-6-101 is committed.

C.R.S. § 14-6-105 Spouse competent witness

14-6-105. Spouse competent witness. In all proceedings or prosecutions under this article, a wife or husband shall be a competent witness against his spouse with or without his consent.

C.R.S. § 14-6-106 Venue

14-6-106. Venue. If the offense charged is desertion or abandonment or neglect or refusal to provide such children or spouse with the necessary and proper home, care, food, and clothing, as provided in section 14-6-101, the offense shall be held to have been committed in any county of this state in which such children or spouse may be at the time such complaint is made.

C.R.S. § 14-6-107 Venue - home or school of child

14-6-107. Venue - home or school of child. If the offense charged is the neglect or refusal to pay to the trustees of a child's home or school or the trustee who may be appointed by the court to receive such payment the reasonable cost of keeping such child, the offense shall be held to have been committed in the county where the child's home or school may be situated.

C.R.S. § 14-6-108 Citizenship - residence

14-6-108. Citizenship - residence. For all the purposes of this article 6, citizenship or residence once acquired in this state by any parent of a child living in this state continues until the child has arrived at the age of sixteen years, so long as the child continues to live in this state. In case of prosecution under this article 6 for the violation of any of the provisions of this article 6, such citizenship or residence likewise continues so long as the spouse or parent resides in this state and is entitled to the support or maintenance provided for in section 14-6-101.

C.R.S. § 14-6-109 Forfeiture of bond - disposition of fines

14-6-109. Forfeiture of bond - disposition of fines. (1) In accordance with the laws of this state, bond shall be set by the court. Pursuant to subsection (2) of this section, where the defendant has been released upon deposit of cash, stocks, or bonds, or upon surety bond secured by property, if the defendant fails to appear in accordance with the primary condition of the bond, the court shall declare a forfeiture. Notice of the order of forfeiture shall be mailed immediately by the court to the defendant and sureties, if any, at last-known address. If the defendant does not appear and surrender to the court having jurisdiction within thirty days from the date of the forfeiture, or within that period satisfy the court that appearance and surrender by the defendant is impossible and without the defendant's fault, the court shall enter judgment against the defendant and the sureties, if any, for the amount of the bail and costs of the court proceedings. (2) Any moneys collected or paid upon any such execution or in any case upon said bond shall be turned over to the clerk of the court in which the bond is given to be applied to the child support obligation, including where the obligation is assigned to the department of human services pursuant to section 26-2-111 (3), C.R.S.

C.R.S. § 14-6-110 Joint liability for family expenses

14-6-110. Joint liability for family expenses. The expenses of the family and the education of the children are chargeable upon the property of both husband and wife, or either of them, and in relation thereto they may be sued jointly or separately.

C.R.S. § 14-6-111 Legislative declaration

14-6-111. Legislative declaration. It is hereby declared to be the policy of the state of Colorado that, in order to promote the life, health, property, and public welfare of this state, it is necessary to establish procedures to assist in the collection of child support, maintenance where combined with child support, and maintenance.

C.R.S. § 14-6-113 Remedies additional to those now existing

14-6-113. Remedies additional to those now existing. The remedies provided in this article are in addition to and not in substitution for any other remedies.
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2024-title-14.docxFetched: 10/6/2026

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