Many people do not know what to do when they are faced with bigamy. They may need legal assistance but due to their situation, but may not know whom to turn to or ask complex legal questions. They may feel embarrassed to speak to just about anyone about it, even if it is a close friend or relative. Asking a family lawyer in such situation may be helpful. Given below are some questions on the subject that have been answered by Experts. Q. What is bigamy? When an individual marries someone else while still legally married to another person, it is called bigamy. In most parts of the US, bigamy would be considered a felony. However, if the accused spends the new spouse’s money, it can also sometimes be considered as an economic crime and the individual may get imprisonment if convicted for this. Q. Is bigamy considered a felony? In most states in the U.S., it is considered felony. However, it can be hard to prosecute the individual many of the times due to the unusual nature of the crime. Whether an individual accused of the felony may be prosecuted or not can many times depend on the seriousness of the crime and if the prosecutor wants to pursue it further. Q. How can an act of bigamy be reported? You can report to the local police and/or at the district attorney’s office. You need to make sure you are absolutely certain of the charge before reporting it. Some document or proof may help the law enforcement officers in prosecuting the perpetrator. Q. Is documentation and proof necessary to report bigamy? Before reporting someone, it is always a good idea to collect as many details of the crime as possible. The police may use all the information given by the individual to get the marriage record and take legal action against the bigamist. How sure are you that the accused is still married to another person? How did you find out that the accused married again? Is there proof that both the marriages are still valid? These are some of the questions that the person reporting may have to answer when he/she reports the case. Q. Is there a time limit within which a bigamist can be prosecuted? An individual may be prosecuted only while married to 2 people. If he/she continues to be married to two people, there would be no statute of limitations on the crime. The individual may be punished at any time while both the marriages are valid as per marriage laws. However, the individual cannot be prosecuted if the couple has divorced or annulled one of the marriages. Bigamy is more common than it appears in society. In most of the situations, it is the victims that suffer the most. Sometimes, bigamists may continue to cheat both their spouses at the same time for years. It may take many years to detect the act and in some situations, it may go indefinitely undetected. While it can be very difficult for an individual to face the fact that his/her spouse is married to someone else without his/her knowledge when being legally married to him/her, there may be legal recourse available to victims. Individuals who think that are victims of this crime or have unconsciously committed this crime may ask a family lawyer who can help you with all the necessary information and legal insight you need.
Related Articles -
bigamy, bigamy definition, what is bigamy, bigamy laws, bigamy law, is bigamy legal, punishment for bigamy, bigamy punishment, penalty for bigamy, bi,
|