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 Rhode Island, bigamy is prohibited under state law. According to Rhode Island General Laws Section 11-6-2, any person who is already married and marries another person is guilty of bigamy, which is a felony. This law applies unless the person's spouse has been continually absent for a period of five years and is not known to be living, or is generally presumed to be dead. As for polygamy, it is not legally recognized in Rhode Island, and the state's prohibition of bigamy effectively makes polygamous marriages illegal as well. Individuals cannot legally obtain more than one marriage license at a time in Rhode Island, and any attempt to do so could result in criminal charges.