Thursday, August 28, 2014

Federal Judge:Polygamy No Longer Illegal in Utah; Mormon Church Ended Polygamy, Some Kept It

A federal judge in Salt Lake City, Utah -- Clark Waddoups -- issued a final ruling in the so-called "Sister Wives" case, which is known for the TLC show that prompted it. "Sister Wives" stars the polygamous Brown family, who sued in 2011 because officials where they lived threatened to come after them, the Buzzfeed website reports today (August 28, 2014).

Not only did the judge decide that the law against polygamy was unconstitutional, he also agreed that the family's rights had been violated and said they "are entitled to an award of attorney's fees, costs, and expenses incurred in this action."

In effect, this means that polygamy in Utah is no longer illegal.

Utah's reputation for polygamy dates back to its founders -- Mormon pioneers -- whose faith included "plural marriage." The Mormon Church banned polygamy in the late 1800s, but some members of the church refused to accept the policy change and gradually broke away to form their own groups that supported polygamy.

No comments:

Post a Comment