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Updated Sept. 7, 2006, 11:33 a.m. ET



Legal Spotlight on Polygamy: Arizona statutes

TITLE 13: ARIZONA CRIMINAL CODE

Chapter 36   Family Offenses

13-3606.   Bigamy

A. A person having a spouse living who knowingly marries any other person is guilty of a class 5 felony.

B. Subsection A of this section does not extend to a person whose spouse by the former marriage has been absent for five successive years without being known to such person within that time to be living, nor to any person whose former marriage has been pronounced void, annulled or dissolved by judgment of a competent court.

13-3607.   Marrying spouse of another

A person who knowingly marries the spouse of another, in any case in which such spouse would be guilty of bigamy, is guilty of a class 5 felony.

13-3609.   Child Bigamy 

  A. A person commits child bigamy if the person knowingly does any of the following:

1. Is at least eighteen years of age, has a spouse and marries a child.

2. Is at least eighteen years of age and, either alone or in association with others, directs, causes or controls the marriage of a child to a person who already has a spouse.

3. Is at least eighteen years of age and, either alone or in association with others, directs, causes or controls the marriage of a child if the child already has a spouse.

4. Is at least eighteen years of age and marries a child if the child already has a spouse.

5. Transports or finances the transportation of a child to promote marriage between the child and a person who already has a spouse.

6. Transports or finances the transportation of a child who already has a spouse to promote marriage between the child and another person.

B. This section does not apply if a person who marries a child:

1. Has a spouse who has been absent for at least five successive years without being known to the person within that time to be living.

2. Has a former marriage that has been pronounced void, annulled or dissolved by judgment of a competent court.

C. A violation of this section is a class 3 felony.

D. For the purposes of this section:

1. "Marriage" means the state of joining together as husband and wife through an agreement, promise or ceremony regardless of whether a marriage license has been issued by the appropriate authority.

2. "Marry" means to join together as husband and wife through an agreement, promise or ceremony regardless of whether a marriage license has been issued by the appropriate authority.

3. "Spouses" means two persons living together as husband and wife, including the assumption of those marital rights, duties and obligations that are usually manifested by married people, including but not necessarily dependent on sexual relations.



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