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, both bigamy and polygamy are prohibited by law. Under Kansas Statutes, specifically K.S.A. 21-5601, bigamy is defined as marrying or attempting to marry someone while having a living spouse from whom one is not legally separated or divorced. Bigamy is considered a crime in Kansas and is classified as a severity level 10, person felony. This means that individuals who engage in bigamy can face criminal charges and penalties, including potential imprisonment. The state does not recognize any additional marriage licenses if an individual is already legally married, and all subsequent marriages would be considered invalid. The prohibition of bigamy and polygamy aligns with federal law and is consistent with the laws in most other states, which also criminalize these practices.