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 New Jersey, as in most states, bigamy is illegal. Under New Jersey law, specifically N.J.S.A. 2C:24-1, a person is guilty of bigamy if he or she contracts or purports to contract a marriage with another person while knowing that he or she is not lawfully entitled to do so because of an existing marriage that has not been dissolved. Bigamy in New Jersey is typically considered a crime of the fourth degree. Polygamy, which involves having more than one spouse simultaneously, is also not legally recognized in New Jersey, and engaging in polygamous relationships can lead to charges of bigamy. It is important to note that while religious or cultural beliefs may permit polygamy in other contexts, such practices are not legally recognized in New Jersey and are subject to the state's bigamy laws.