Legal definition of polygamy: Surprise!

Huh. Seems like big swathes of the US are - on paper, at least - half a century behind the sitch across the Big Pond. :eek:

Cohabitation, no matter how many people are involved, isn't a legal issue at all over here in Germany (with the exception of applying for welfare and similar social services; whoever lives with you in a "marriage-like arrangement" will have their income figured in to provide for the live-in partner just as a legal spouse would), and unless I'm much mistaken, hasn't been one since the 1960s. Later that decade, adultery has been fully decriminalized, and dropped as a reason to sue for divorce (we used to have a "guilt-based" model for divorces back then, which was abandoned for the current "irreconciliable differences" one; you thankfully no longer have to prove either party's "guilt in having made the marriage fail" in order to get divorced).

Legally marrying more than one person is still not possible, and is a criminal offense punishable by either a fine, or a jail sentence of up to three years.


Apparently, though (I didn't know this before checking, and I hope I'm getting it wrong, because it seems downright bizarre to me!) it's also not legal here to get married while you're living in a "marriage-like arrangement" with someone else. So, you can live together with as many partners as you want if you're unmarried, but if you then decide to marry one of them, you'll have to break up with all other partners first... only to be free to hook up and move in with as many partners you want again after getting married.

Like, whut. :confused:
 
I wouldn't be surprised.

I should clarify that (here in the States) three or more persons can share an apartment or dorm as roommates, without fear of intervention by the Law. Not sure how the Law distinguishes between that and some kind of romantic live-in situation, but maybe it has its own ways?

And has others have said, much of this (the non-live-in part) has to do with old anti-adultery laws that need to be removed from the books.
 
California, hasn't had any laws against adultery, infidelity or cohabitation on the books for many, many years. It can't even be used as a reason for a divorce.
 
Heh, send some of your weather and laws up here. ;) Though I wouldn't be surprised to learn that Washington State could make a similar boast.
 
Heh, send some of your weather and laws up here. ;) Though I wouldn't be surprised to learn that Washington State could make a similar boast.

If they don't yet, it's probably only because they haven't enforced it in so long they forgot they were on the books and therefore didn't bother to repeal anything. Just looked it up... you can't use adultery as a reason for divorce in WA either. As far as other laws, I have no idea.

You can have this stink'n weather. Freezing one day, 80+ the next and hot dusty dessert winds YUCK! - recipe for killer migraines.
 
Well don't send us *that* weather. ;)

It's my opinion that politicians are supposedly paid (in part) to look for old legal messes that need removal from the books. But most politicians prefer to spend all their time (when they're not playing golf) looking for new excuses to pass new laws. I compare this to a hoarder whose house is so full of junk that one can't even walk through it. It's irresponsible and unprofessional. /rant about those damned politicians.

Not that I lose much sleep over it, but there it is, if anyone's interested in hearing my viewpoint.
 
Not sure how the Law distinguishes between that and some kind of romantic live-in situation, but maybe it has its own ways?

Yup, I got into a circular definition trying to sort that one out. "Conjugal" means "living together in common-law" and "common-law" means "living together in a conjugal relationship." *fp* Neither term is actually defined.

It seems that for any set of criteria you could specify, you could find thousands of couples who are legally married and don't meet the other criteria. Sex? Asexual or medical condition. Finances? Lots of married people keep separate finances. Childcare? Lots of families have a parent who is completely hands-off, not to mention all the couples without children.

This whole thread was prompted by a conversation I had with Auto and her husband. He told me about a couple friends they had. They were living together as roommates. One was gay, the other was the opposite sex. But they decided, hey! We can declare common-law and then we can get more for our student loans because we're a "family." Then at one point, the other one found someone she wanted to marry, and "divorced" the friend. The clincher is that her new husband moved in with them, to save on expenses. So because her "new husband" just moved in with her and her "old husband," student loans decided to invalidate the marriage and require him to repay the excess loans. I don't remember how it played out, I think he couldn't repay them and had to drop out of school.
 
Oh shit ... FP indeed, :eek:
 
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