Crimes Against Marriage | The Maryland People's Law Library

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class="region region-content"> <h1 class="page-header"> <span>Crimes Against Marriage</span> </h1> <article data-history-node-id="488" about="/crimes-against-marriage" class="legal-resource full clearfix"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field--name-field-lr-description field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field--item">Adultery and bigamy are "crimes against marriage" in Maryland.</div> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><p>Maryland law considers <strong>adultery </strong>and <strong>bigamy </strong>as “crimes against marriage.” Although these acts occur privately within a marriage, they can be prosecuted as criminal offenses and are punishable criminal acts in Maryland.</p> <p><span class="law_cite">Read the Law: <a href="https://govt.westlaw.com/mdc/Browse/Home/Maryland/MarylandCodeCourtRules?guid=NB14138E09B6711DB9BCF9DAC28345A2A&originationContext=documenttoc&transitionType=Default&contextData=(sc.Default)">Md. Code, Criminal Law, Title 10, Subtitle 5</a></span></p> <p> </p> <h2>Adultery</h2> <p>Maryland law prohibits adultery. Adultery is a misdemeanor offense punishable by a $10 fine; however, prosecutions for adultery are rare. Maryland law does not provide an exact definition for adultery. Generally, adultery is defined as voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and a person other than that person's husband or wife. </p> <p><span class="law_cite">Read the Law: <a href="http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gcr&section=10-501" target="_blank">Md. Code, Criminal Law § 10-501</a></span></p> <p><span class="law_cite">Read the Case: <a href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=12608939189426432084&q=33+Md.App.+707&hl=en&as_sdt=4,21">Payne v. Payne, 33 Md. App. 707 (Court of Special Appeals, 1976)</a></span></p> <p> </p> <h2>Bigamy</h2> <p>Maryland law prohibits bigamy. Bigamy is entering into a marriage while already lawfully married to a living person. In Maryland, the bigamy law does <b>NOT</b> apply if:</p> <ul> <li>A person's previous lawful spouse has been absent from them for a continuous period of 7 years; AND</li> <li>The person does not know where their previous lawful spouse is living at the time of the subsequent marriage ceremony.</li> </ul> <p>Bigamy is a felony punishable by imprisonment for up to 9 years.</p> <p><span class="law_cite">Read the law: <a href="http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gcr&section=10-502" target="_blank">Md. Code, Criminal Law § 10-502</a></span></p> </div> <div class="node_view"></div> </div> </article> <section class="views-element-container block block-views block-views-blocklast-updated-block-1 clearfix" id="block-views-block-last-updated-block-1"> <div class="form-group"><div class="view view-last-updated view-id-last_updated view-display-id-block_1 js-view-dom-id-f74d7ed20324b30dfa535f85543b2d21ced65cbc4de66016a115621226f360ca"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="views-row"><em class="views-field views-field-changed"><span class="views-label views-label-changed">Last Updated: </span><span class="field-content"><time datetime="2023-05-16T09:46:06-04:00">Tue, 05/16/2023 - 9:46 am</time> </span></em></div> </div> </div> </div> </section> <section id="block-disclaimerinformationblock" class="block block-block-content block-block-contenta9e149ef-42c1-479a-aa5b-cba316d43cab clearfix"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><h5>Is this legal advice?</h5> <p>This site offers legal information, not legal advice.  We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information and to clearly explain your options.  However we do not provide legal advice - the application of the law to your individual circumstances. 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