Polygamy—Any person who has a former husband or wife living, who shall marry another person, or shall continue to cohabit with such second husband or wife, in this state, he or she shall, except in the cases mentioned herein, be guilty of the crime of polygamy, a felony.
   The provisions of this section shall not extend to any person whose husband or wife shall have voluntarily remained beyond the sea, or shall have voluntarily withdrawn from the other and remained absent for the space of five years next preceding such marriage, the party marrying again, not knowing the other to be living within that time, nor to any person who shall have good reason to believe such husband or wife to be dead, nor to any person who has been legally divorced from the bonds of matrimony.

Attorney's Note

Under the Michigan Laws, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Gup to 4 years
For details, see Mich. Comp. Laws ch. 777 pt. 2

Terms Used In Michigan Laws 750.439

  • felony: when used in this act, shall be construed to mean an offense for which the offender, on conviction may be punished by death, or by imprisonment in state prison. See Michigan Laws 750.7
  • person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, as well as to individuals. See Michigan Laws 8.3l
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories belonging to the United States; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the district and territories. See Michigan Laws 8.3o