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Washington · Through July 15, 2026

RCW 9A.64.010: Bigamy.

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Where this section sits in the code
  1. Title 9A
  2. Chapter 9A.64

(1) A person is guilty of bigamy if he or she intentionally marries or purports to marry another person when either person has a living spouse.

(2) In any prosecution under this section, it is a defense that at the time of the subsequent marriage or purported marriage:

(a) The actor reasonably believed that the prior spouse was dead; or

(b) A court had entered a judgment purporting to terminate or annul any prior disqualifying marriage and the actor did not know that such judgment was invalid; or

(c) The actor reasonably believed that he or she was legally eligible to marry.

(3) The limitation imposed by RCW 9A.04.080 on commencing a prosecution for bigamy does not begin to run until the death of the prior or subsequent spouse of the actor or until a court enters a judgment terminating or annulling the prior or subsequent marriage.

(4) Bigamy is a class C felony.

Collected 2026-09-06T00:51:15Z. Source file · JSON

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