Colorado § 7-64-308 - Liability of purported partner.

§ 7-64-308. Liability of purported partner.

(1) If a person, by words or conduct, purports to be a partner, or consents to being represented by another as a partner, in a partnership or with one or more persons not partners, the purported partner is liable to a person to whom the representation is made, if that person, relying on the representation, enters into a transaction with the actual or purported partnership. If the representation, either by the purported partner or by a person with the purported partner's consent, is made in a public manner, the purported partner is liable to a person who relies upon the purported partnership even if the purported partner is not aware of being held out as a partner to the claimant. If a partnership obligation results, the purported partner is liable with respect to that obligation as if the purported partner were a partner in the partnership, and, if the partnership is a limited liability partnership, the purported partner's liability is subject to section 7-64-306 as if the purported partner were a partner in the limited liability partnership. If no partnership obligation results, the purported partner is liable with respect to that liability jointly and severally with any other person consenting to the representation.

(2) If a person is thus represented to be a partner in an existing partnership, or with one or more persons not partners, the purported partner is an agent of persons consenting to the representation to bind them to the same extent and in the same manner as if the purported partner were a partner, with respect to persons who enter into transactions in reliance upon the representation. If all of the partners of the existing partnership consent to the representation, a partnership act or partnership obligation results. If fewer than all of the partners of the existing partnership consent to the representation, the person acting and the partners consenting to the representation are jointly and severally liable.

(3) A person is not liable as a partner merely because the person is named by another in a statement of partnership authority.

(4) A person does not continue to be liable as a partner merely because of a failure to deliver to the secretary of state for filing a statement of dissociation or an amendment of a statement of partnership authority to indicate the partner's dissociation from the partnership.

(5) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (1) and (2) of this section, persons who are not partners as to each other are not liable as partners to other persons.

Source: L. 97: Entire article added, p. 879, § 1, effective January 1, 1998. L. 2004: (1) amended, p. 1451, § 159, effective July 1.

ANNOTATION

This section concerns liability to someone who relied on a representation of a partnership. Holding oneself out as a partner does not create a partnership. Owners Ins. Co. v. Dakota Station II, 2017 COA 103, 444 P.3d 784, aff'd in part, rev'd in part on other grounds, 2019 CO 65, 443 P.3d 47.

PART 4

RELATIONS OF PARTNERS TO EACH OTHER AND TO PARTNERSHIP