Disciplining a Child
C.R.S. 18-1-703 — reasonable and appropriate force to maintain discipline
A parent, guardian or other person entrusted with a child's care, and a teacher, may use reasonable and appropriate physical force on the child when and to the extent it is reasonably necessary and appropriate to maintain discipline or promote the child's welfare.
Who handles this in Colorado: legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Colorado directory.
Whether particular force was reasonable is decided on the facts, and the child abuse laws apply where it was not.
Sources for this section (1)
- C.R.S. 18-1-703 — Use of physical force - special relationships
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Colorado attorney.