Bigamy is the act of marrying one person while being legally married to another. Polygamy is the practice or custom (often religious) of having more than one wife or husband at a time. Most states prohibit a party from having more than one marriage license at a time, and in most states bigamy is a crime.
In Kansas, as in most states, bigamy is illegal. Under Kansas Statutes, specifically K.S.A. 21-5601, bigamy is defined as marrying or purporting to marry someone while already being lawfully married to another person. This statute makes bigamy a crime, and individuals who engage in bigamy can face criminal charges. The law does not recognize the practice of having more than one spouse at a time, regardless of any religious or cultural practices that may permit polygamy. Therefore, in Kansas, it is not legally possible to have more than one valid marriage license at a time, and doing so can result in legal penalties.