Bigamy

Bigamy

Bigamy is usually classified as a crime against the family.  Generally, a legally married person is guilty of bigamy if he or she marries any other person, unless at the time of the subsequent marriage he or she believes that the prior spouse is dead.  In some states a legally married person cohabiting with another person is also guilty of bigamy.  Some states include exceptions based on the number of successive years that the other partner is absent without being known to the person within that time to be living. 

The other party to a bigamous marriage may be guilty of bigamy if he or she contracts or purports to contract marriage with another knowing that the other is thereby committing bigamy.

Outside of the framework of the law, bigamy is usually thought of as having a second spouse without telling the first one that you are already married; whereas polygamy is the practice of having multiple spouses where everyone is aware of the situation, and all concerned give consent.

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