US Laws, Codes, Statutes & Cases

568.010. 1. A married person commits the crime of bigamy if he:

(1) Purports to contract another marriage; or

(2) Cohabits in this state after a bigamous marriage in another jurisdiction.

2. A married person does not commit bigamy if, at the time of the subsequent marriage ceremony, he reasonably believes that he is legally eligible to remarry.

3. The defendant shall have the burden of injecting the issue of reasonable belief of eligibility to remarry.

4. An unmarried person commits the crime of bigamy if he

(1) Purports to contract marriage knowing that the other person is married; or

(2) Cohabits in this state after a bigamous marriage in another jurisdiction.

5. Bigamy is a class A misdemeanor.

(L. 1977 S.B. 60)

Effective 1-1-79