Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OK, so in DC you can run around saying you have two wives and not be prosecuted?
As a matter of law in DC you can only be prosecuted for bigamy if you marry (or enter into a domestic partnership) with someone while you are still legally married to (or entered into a domestic partnership with) another person. And church weddings don't count as marriage unless a marriage license is issued.
That said, there is a long history of people getting prosecuted because they drew the attention of the authorities. There's a book out, "Three Felonies a Day: How the Feds Target the Innocent" (http://www.amazon.com/Three-Felonies-Day-Target-Innocent/dp/1594035229). The premise is that everyone does stuff all of the time that a zealous prosecutor can literally make a federal case out of. So if you go around calling your harem "wives" you may not be charged with bigamy but don't be surprised if you're railroaded on something else.
OK, is this is the point. This is what keeps those guys so quiet in hiding. They might have a successful business, but a competitor finds out what they are up to and figures out a way to get them charged. Or a lawyer might get disbarred. It is not really freedom.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Seems to me that if they made polygamy legal, then perhaps there would be a way to empower the women who will be in these relationships anyhow. If you are entitled to 1/4 of the household property, you're in a much better situation than when you're entitled to 0% of it.
Umm no. It would disempower the women that wouldn't want to share (first wife) but wouldn't have much choice because women stuck in such situations are often already powerless.
Anonymous wrote:Seems to me that if they made polygamy legal, then perhaps there would be a way to empower the women who will be in these relationships anyhow. If you are entitled to 1/4 of the household property, you're in a much better situation than when you're entitled to 0% of it.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OK, so in DC you can run around saying you have two wives and not be prosecuted?
As a matter of law in DC you can only be prosecuted for bigamy if you marry (or enter into a domestic partnership) with someone while you are still legally married to (or entered into a domestic partnership with) another person. And church weddings don't count as marriage unless a marriage license is issued.
That said, there is a long history of people getting prosecuted because they drew the attention of the authorities. There's a book out, "Three Felonies a Day: How the Feds Target the Innocent" (http://www.amazon.com/Three-Felonies-Day-Target-Innocent/dp/1594035229). The premise is that everyone does stuff all of the time that a zealous prosecutor can literally make a federal case out of. So if you go around calling your harem "wives" you may not be charged with bigamy but don't be surprised if you're railroaded on something else.
Anonymous wrote:OK, so in DC you can run around saying you have two wives and not be prosecuted?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Polygamy is a slippery slope. What's next? Inter-racial marriage and same-sex marriage?
Ha, ha! Liberals are only for "progressive" relationships but hate anything that they view as conservative.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Polygamy is a slippery slope. What's next? Inter-racial marriage and same-sex marriage?
Ha, ha! Liberals are only for "progressive" relationships but hate anything that they view as conservative.
Anonymous wrote:Polygamy is a slippery slope. What's next? Inter-racial marriage and same-sex marriage?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:BTW, there is talk of challenging (among other things) the constitutionality of a man (or woman) not being able to SAY that they have more than one spouse.
It gets into freedom of speech issues.
I hope thatthe polygamists can present their arguments in a clear and calm way to get legislation changed.
Illegal plural marriage is truly a violation of their rights.
Saying you have more than one spouse doesn't make you a bigamist. You have to actually get married.
Here is relevant section of the DC Code (http://dccode.org/simple/sections/22-501.html)
"Whoever, having a spouse or domestic partner living, marries or enters a domestic partnership with another shall be deemed guilty of bigamy."
Nothing in there about calling someone your spouse.
That is a bit much. So essentially they can throw you in the slammer for this?
"Domestic partnership" is a term of art in DC law. It doesn't mean just shacking up. It means going down to the courthouse and registering. It's what gays had to do before marriage equality to get spousal benefits.
It should be interesting to see what becomes of domestic partnership now that gay marriage is legal.
I bet it does, would like to see the language.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:BTW, there is talk of challenging (among other things) the constitutionality of a man (or woman) not being able to SAY that they have more than one spouse.
It gets into freedom of speech issues.
I hope thatthe polygamists can present their arguments in a clear and calm way to get legislation changed.
Illegal plural marriage is truly a violation of their rights.
Saying you have more than one spouse doesn't make you a bigamist. You have to actually get married.
Here is relevant section of the DC Code (http://dccode.org/simple/sections/22-501.html)
"Whoever, having a spouse or domestic partner living, marries or enters a domestic partnership with another shall be deemed guilty of bigamy."
Nothing in there about calling someone your spouse.
That is a bit much. So essentially they can throw you in the slammer for this?
"Domestic partnership" is a term of art in DC law. It doesn't mean just shacking up. It means going down to the courthouse and registering. It's what gays had to do before marriage equality to get spousal benefits.
It should be interesting to see what becomes of domestic partnership now that gay marriage is legal.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:BTW, there is talk of challenging (among other things) the constitutionality of a man (or woman) not being able to SAY that they have more than one spouse.
It gets into freedom of speech issues.
I hope thatthe polygamists can present their arguments in a clear and calm way to get legislation changed.
Illegal plural marriage is truly a violation of their rights.
Saying you have more than one spouse doesn't make you a bigamist. You have to actually get married.
Here is relevant section of the DC Code (http://dccode.org/simple/sections/22-501.html)
"Whoever, having a spouse or domestic partner living, marries or enters a domestic partnership with another shall be deemed guilty of bigamy."
Nothing in there about calling someone your spouse.
That is a bit much. So essentially they can throw you in the slammer for this?