New Utah law effectively decriminalizes bigamy

Polygamist Kody Brown.
(Image credit: AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

Bigamy is no longer a felony in Utah, with a new law that took effect on Tuesday making it an infraction instead.

When bigamy was a third-degree felony in Utah, a person found guilty could face up to five years in jail and a fine of $5,000. There are several religious groups in the state that practice polygamy, but Utah's attorney general's office only prosecuted people when multiple crimes were committed.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.