What is Polygamy and is it legal in the US? When one person gets married to multiple people at the same time without first ending the earlier marriage through a divorce, it is considered a case of polygamy. Though practiced in different parts of the world, polygamy is illegal as per the US laws. However, even though it is considered a punishable crime in the US, many people still marry multiple partners. It can have a great impact on people when it is found out -- both emotionally and legally. A number of legal questions can arise about one's rights and the legal recourse available when one finds oneself in a polygamous relationship. Given below are some of the most commonly asked questions about polygamy: How many forms of polygamy are there? There are various forms of polygamy. These include: polygamy, where a person has many wives; polyandry, where the woman has many husbands; and group marriage which involves multiple husbands and wives. All the forms of polygamy are considered illegal in the US. Would it be illegal if one had multiple spouses and what would be the punishment for this? It would be considered illegal in the US, if one person had multiple spouses. An individual may be charged with polygamy and perjury for lying to obtain multiple marriage licenses and can be punished for both crimes. Both these crimes are considered felonies and can result in jail time for the accused if proven. Does United States consider polygamy legal? The US does not consider any form of polygamy to be legal. The second and following marriages may not be valid if an individual marries multiple times. The individual who commits polygamy can be charged with a felony and will be convicted once proven guilty. Can a wife file a complaint against her husband for polygamy if he has a second wife in a different country? Polygamy is considered an act of felony in the US. if the person was already married in a different country and still got married again in the US, it may be considered to be polygamy and the person may be prosecuted for the same. However, it may be considered adultery if the person did not get married legally. Are there legal arrangements that are comparable to polygamy? One may enter legal arrangements comparable to polygamy if both the parties involved give their consent to it. Most of the times, three or more people may be allowed to share a house together, open a jointly held bank account and be authorized signatories on the same credit cards. Each of the parties may be able to create a will to leave behind their property to the other involved parties. However, since this arrangement is not equivalent to a marriage and is not bound by marriage laws, the parties involved may not get any state or federal benefits that married couples are entitled to. Some things like hospital visits and insurance can pose problems in such arrangements. The questions answered above are just a few questions about polygamy laws that have been answered by legal experts online. If you have many more questions about the subject that need to be answered, you may ask a family lawyer and get answers to specific questions pertaining to your circumstances.
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