FLDS, adultery v. other sex crimes, etc.
May. 1st, 2008 11:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
walkitoutThere are a number of people picking on Texas CPS who argue that if you're going to prosecute polygamy, you should prosecute adultery, too, since it's against the law also. Never mind that Texas is, as yet, not prosecuting anyone for polygamy or anything else.
But just for reference purposes, adultery is only a basis for divorce in Texas; it isn't against the law there and hasn't been for a while.
After doing some state-by-state digging, I have learned a variety of startling things, among them the following:
Yes, in Utah adultery _is_ illegal; it's a class B misdemeanor.
For reference purposes, having sex with a first cousin in Utah (you can _legally marry_ your first cousin in several states, FYI) is a 3rd degree felony. Child bigamy (perp is married, and cohabs-in-the-sexual-sense or purports to be married or whatever with someone under 18) is a 2nd degree felony.
Not all laws are created equal, but some people are having a leetle bit of trouble keeping up. The whole first-cousin-marriage = felony incest thing keeps surprising me; I'd like to know if they are prosecuting married folk who move in.
But just for reference purposes, adultery is only a basis for divorce in Texas; it isn't against the law there and hasn't been for a while.
After doing some state-by-state digging, I have learned a variety of startling things, among them the following:
Yes, in Utah adultery _is_ illegal; it's a class B misdemeanor.
For reference purposes, having sex with a first cousin in Utah (you can _legally marry_ your first cousin in several states, FYI) is a 3rd degree felony. Child bigamy (perp is married, and cohabs-in-the-sexual-sense or purports to be married or whatever with someone under 18) is a 2nd degree felony.
Not all laws are created equal, but some people are having a leetle bit of trouble keeping up. The whole first-cousin-marriage = felony incest thing keeps surprising me; I'd like to know if they are prosecuting married folk who move in.