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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 Maine, bigamy is prohibited under state law. According to Title 19-A, Section 701 of the Maine Revised Statutes, a marriage is prohibited and void if a party has a living spouse from whom they have not been legally separated or divorced. Engaging in bigamy, which is entering into a marriage while already being married to another person, is considered a crime. Maine law classifies bigamy as a Class E crime, which is the lowest level of criminal offenses in the state but still carries potential penalties including fines and imprisonment. Polygamy, the practice of having more than one spouse simultaneously, is also not legally recognized in Maine and would fall under the prohibition against bigamy. Therefore, regardless of whether the practice is based on personal, cultural, or religious reasons, both bigamy and polygamy are against the law in Maine.

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Criminal charges

bigamy

Individual & Family Legal Plan

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Maine State Code

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Criminal charges

bigamy

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