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Criminal charges

bigamy

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 Louisiana, bigamy is prohibited under state law. According to the Louisiana Criminal Code, it is illegal for a person to be married to more than one person at the same time. Specifically, Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 14, Section 76 defines bigamy as the offense of an individual contracting a marriage or simulating a marriage with another person while being lawfully married to someone else. This statute makes it clear that both entering into a new marriage while still legally married, and the act of living with another person under the appearance of being married, can constitute bigamy. The law applies regardless of whether the subsequent marriage occurred in Louisiana or elsewhere. Bigamy is considered a felony in Louisiana, and those convicted may face penalties including fines and imprisonment. Polygamy, which involves having multiple spouses simultaneously, is also not legally recognized in Louisiana and would fall under the prohibition against bigamy.

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Criminal charges

bigamy

Individual & Family Legal Plan

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Louisiana State Code

Louisiana State Code

Criminal charges

bigamy

Articles