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Colorado criminal charge

Retaliation against a judge or an elected official in Colorado

Current through 2026 Colorado legislative session

Retaliation against a judge or an elected official is a criminal offense under Colorado law, defined by C.R.S. § 18-8-615. Its classification is not fixed: Colorado assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.

Defined by C.R.S. § 18-8-615.

What is the penalty for retaliation against a judge or an elected official in Colorado?

Penalties for Retaliation against a judge or an elected official
PenaltyRangeBasisAuthority
Jail / prison2 years to 6 years (Retaliation against a judge — Applies when an individual commits retaliation against a judge as defined in subsection (1).)presumptiveC.R.S. § 18-1.3-401
Fine2000 usd to 500000 usd (Retaliation against a judge — Applies when an individual commits retaliation against a judge as defined in subsection (1).)discretionaryC.R.S. § 18-1.3-401
Parole / supervision3 years to 3 years (Retaliation against a judge — Applies when an individual commits retaliation against a judge as defined in subsection (1).; mandatory parole)mandatoryC.R.S. § 18-1.3-401
Jail / prison12 months to 18 months (Retaliation against an elected official — Applies when an individual commits retaliation against an elected official as defined in subsection (1.5).)presumptiveC.R.S. § 18-1.3-401
Fine1000 usd to 100000 usd (Retaliation against an elected official — Applies when an individual commits retaliation against an elected official as defined in subsection (1.5).)discretionaryC.R.S. § 18-1.3-401
Parole / supervision1 years to 1 years (Retaliation against an elected official — Applies when an individual commits retaliation against an elected official as defined in subsection (1.5).; mandatory parole)mandatoryC.R.S. § 18-1.3-401

Applies to offenses on/after 2018-07-01.

How is retaliation against a judge or an elected official classified in Colorado?

The classification depends on the circumstances:

Classification variants for Retaliation against a judge or an elected official
VariantClassificationWhen it appliesStatute
Retaliation against a judgeclass 4 felonyApplies when an individual commits retaliation against a judge as defined in subsection (1).18-8-615(2)(a)
Retaliation against an elected officialclass 6 felonyApplies when an individual commits retaliation against an elected official as defined in subsection (1.5).18-8-615(2)(b)

Common questions about retaliation against a judge or an elected official in Colorado

Is retaliation against a judge or an elected official a felony or a misdemeanor in Colorado?

It depends on the circumstances: retaliation against a judge or an elected official ranges from a class 6 felony to a class 4 felony in Colorado under C.R.S. § 18-8-615.

Retaliation against a judge: class 4 felony (C.R.S. § 18-8-615(2)(a)) · Retaliation against an elected official: class 6 felony (C.R.S. § 18-8-615(2)(b))

What are the penalties for retaliation against a judge or an elected official in Colorado?

Penalties for retaliation against a judge or an elected official in Colorado depend on how it is classified — from a class 6 felony up to a class 4 felony — with the ranges set by C.R.S. § 18-1.3-401; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.

Which Colorado statute covers retaliation against a judge or an elected official?

Retaliation against a judge or an elected official is governed by C.R.S. § 18-8-615 (Retaliation against a judge or an elected official - definitions).

Legal terms used in this law

This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.