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 Ohio, bigamy is prohibited under state law. According to Ohio Revised Code Section 2919.01, no married person shall marry another or continue to cohabit with such other person in this state. Bigamy is considered a felony of the fourth degree. This means that it is illegal for a person who is already legally married to another individual to enter into a marriage contract with a third party. Polygamy, which involves having more than one spouse at the same time, is also not recognized or permitted under Ohio law. The state's adherence to monogamous marriage means that all marriage licenses are issued with the expectation that the parties are not currently married to someone else, and attempting to obtain a marriage license while already married to another person could lead to legal penalties.