Can I Legally Have Two Wives

Marriage, divorce proceedings and other family law matters are governed by state law. All U.S. jurisdictions prohibit polygamy by annulling marriages involving more than two spouses. State laws against bigamy – marrying someone while remaining legally married to another person – are usually grounds for annulment. Some countries that have banned polygamy may still recognize polygamous marriages from other countries. For example, Sweden recognizes polygamous marriages concluded abroad. Switzerland has banned polygamy, but polygamous marriages celebrated in another country are dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Australia recognizes polygamous marriages entered into in other countries only in certain circumstances. A group marriage takes place in which several men and women are related as husbands and wives. This form of marriage is very rare and can be observed for economic reasons supported by the partners.

Since the U.S. government enacted the first federal bans on the practice of polygamy — which the LDS Church modernly calls “plural marriage” — proponents of the practice have sought to argue that such prohibitions constitute an unconstitutional violation of their right to freely engage in religion under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. In 2000, the United Nations Human Rights Committee reported that polygamy violated the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), concerned about the lack of “equal treatment with regard to the right to marry” meant that polygamy, which in practice was limited to polygyny, violated the dignity of women and should be banned. [148] In particular, reports to UN committees have identified violations of the ICCPR because of these inequalities[149] and reports to the UN General Assembly have recommended that it be banned. [150] [151] The practice of polygamy is generally frowned upon in most countries. Countries that legally recognize polygamy have populations where its practice is part of the organized religion, namely the denominations of Islam. But other religions also recognize polygamy, such as the small unofficial sects of Mormonism.

In particular, the official position of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) – the dominant Mormon religion officially recognized in countries around the world – does not promote or tolerate polygamy. Many prominent Jewish leaders, including Abraham, David, and Jacob, are described in the Torah as a polygamous/plural marriage. However, like all but a few contemporary Christians (whose Old Testament reflects the Torah), modern Jews have denied this practice. Not surprisingly, the growing acceptance of homosexual behavior has led to a wider acceptance of polyamorous practices among heterosexuals. About 1 in 5 people under the age of 30 have engaged in sexual activity with someone else to the knowledge of their partner, according to a 2016 survey. Overall, 11 percent of Americans reported having sexual contact with others with their partner`s consent, while 19 percent had sexual contact without their consent. Young Americans are much more likely to report having had sexual contact with others with their partner`s consent: 17% of people under the age of 45 say they have, compared to only 3% of people over the age of 65. However, the vast majority of Americans (68 percent) said they “wouldn`t be well” if their romantic partner engaged in sexual activity with someone else.

Another unusual shortcoming is that many Muslim countries recognize polygamous marriages as long as the husband, before marrying his first wife, informs her that he intends to add additional future wives, and she agrees. If the first wife does not agree, the husband cannot marry other wives as long as he is married to her. Bigamy can be intentional and consensual, with one of the spouses marrying a second spouse, knowing that their first marriage remains legally binding and that all parties agree. It can also be intentional and not entirely consensual if two or more spouses don`t know it. Polygamy is the general and neutral term for any marriage between three or more people. Polygyny is a specific term used to describe a marriage that includes a husband and at least two wives. This is by far the most common (and most common) form of polygamy. Polyandry is a specific term used to describe marriages between a woman and at least two husbands. In an open marriage, the partners agree to have sex with people outside their union. These extramarital relationships are not considered cheating because they are conducted with mutual knowledge and consent.

There are different forms of marriage. Contrary to the common practice that only two partners marry, there are societies whose members take a different path. One of these forms is bigamy. Bigamy is defined as the act of going through a wedding ceremony with one person while legally married to another. The legal status of polygamy varies widely around the world. Polygyny is legal in 58 of the nearly 200 sovereign states, the vast majority of which are Muslim-majority countries. Polyandry is illegal in virtually every country and strictly forbidden in Islam. [Citation needed] Several non-Muslim countries (especially in sub-Saharan Africa) allow polygyny among Muslims in their communities. Some countries that allow polygamy have restrictions, such as the first woman, to give consent. Group marriage is a general term for marriages that involve both multiple husbands and multiple wives. Polyamory is the practice of having multiple romantic relationships, with all parties having complete knowledge and giving their full consent.

Not related to marriage. Polygeny is the (outdated) theory that the different races of humanity evolved from different groups of ancestors. This term has nothing to do with polygamy, but is sometimes confused with “polygyny”, so it is included here for clarity. Islam is the only major religion whose sacred texts arguably support polygamy. Verse 3 of Sura 4 Year-Nisa (women) explains that a man can marry up to four women in certain (and discussed) circumstances. According to this text, many Muslim countries allow a man to have up to four wives. However, many also require the man to indicate whether he plans to be monogamous or polygamous as part of the marriage contract with his first wife, and if she does not allow it, he cannot marry another woman when he is married to her. In addition, polyandry, in which a woman has several husbands, is still strictly prohibited. When a man is able to marry several women at the same time, this is called polygyny. This marriage is not a popular choice in most societies. However, it can be observed in areas that have experienced an increase in the birth of girls. These societies may have experienced a war that limited the number of men available to women.

Polygyny is usually essential to the survival of these societies. The Mosuo in China are a matrilineal society known for practicing matrilineal polyandry, where men and women are free to have multiple partners and start or end relationships at will. Earlier this week, the Utah Senate unanimously passed a bill that effectively decriminalizes polygamy. The bill, which is being considered by the state House of Representatives, would make polygamy a violation and change the current penalty, which can be punished with up to five years in prison. As the Associated Press points out, while traditional members of the Church of Latter-day Saints abandoned the practice of polygamy in 1890, about 30,000 people living in polygamous communities follow the teachings that welcoming many women brings exaltation to heaven. Since the facts in favour of annulment are generally sufficient to treat the parties as if they had never married under the law, issues arising from a spouse`s legal obligations in divorce may not apply to the nullity proceedings in certain situations. The establishment of a legally valid conjugal relationship is necessary to trigger certain matrimonial obligations, such as the obligation to pay child and spousal support.