568.010. Bigamy — penalty.
Marrying someone while already married is illegal
In Missouri, it’s a crime to get married to another person while you’re still legally married—or to live with someone you illegally married in another state.
1. A married person commits bigamy if they:
- (1) Try to marry someone else while still legally married; or
- (2) Live with someone they married in a bigamous (illegal) marriage from another state.
2. A married person does not commit bigamy if they reasonably believed they were legally allowed to remarry—for example, if they thought their previous marriage was legally ended.
3. It’s up to the defendant to prove that they reasonably believed they could remarry.
4. An unmarried person can also commit bigamy if they:
- (1) Try to marry someone they know is already married; or
- (2) Live with someone they were in a bigamous marriage with in another state.
5. Bigamy is a class A misdemeanor.
Contact us online or call (314) 900-HELP to talk with a Missouri criminal defense lawyer.
