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 Ohio Revised Code Section 2919.01, which defines bigamy as the act of knowingly entering into a marriage while still being legally married to another person. This offense is considered a felony of the fourth degree. Polygamy, which involves having more than one spouse simultaneously, is also not legally recognized in Ohio and falls under the prohibition against bigamy. The state does not issue more than one marriage license to an individual at a time, and all subsequent marriages entered into before the dissolution of a previous marriage are considered invalid. It is important for individuals to ensure that any prior marriage is legally terminated through death, divorce, or annulment before entering into a new marriage to avoid violating bigamy laws.
