Can I marry two girls legally in Kentucky?

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The short answer is No. The state of Kentucky will only recognize a marriage between one man and one woman, who are not already married. Kentucky does not recognize same sex marriages and no state, to my knowledge, recognizes polygamous marriages (being married to more than one person at a time). There is a difference between a marriage recognized by a religion and a marriage recognized by the state. You generally have a right to have a religious marriage if you can find someone that will perform the ceremony. A religious marriage binds you in the eyes of your religion. A state recognized marriage binds you in the eyes of the government (for census, tax, inheritance, and other purposes). You can probably have a religious ceremony, exchange rings, and live together as a married couple (or triple) without any problem, but the state will not recognize it. If you want the state to treat you similarly to those persons whose marriages they recognize you need to include each other in your wills since you will not inherit from each other under state law, if you buy real estate you need to make sure you buy it as 'joint tenants with right of survivor-ship' (which is the default for married couples), and you are free to structure your bank accounts as you please. The two main things you will not be able to do that other married couples can do are file joint taxes and include each other on your health insurance (although some insurance recognizes same sex significant others some does not and I have never come across any that will recognize a third person).

Attorney Answers

2
Michael Lawrence ·
The short answer is No. The state of Kentucky will only recognize a marriage between one man and one woman, who are not already married. Kentucky does not recognize same sex marriages and no state, to my knowledge, recognizes polygamous marriages (being married to more than one person at a time). There is a difference between a marriage recognized by a religion and a marriage recognized by the state. You generally have a right to have a religious marriage if you can find someone that will perform the ceremony. A religious marriage binds you in the eyes of your religion. A state recognized marriage binds you in the eyes of the government (for census, tax, inheritance, and other purposes). You can probably have a religious ceremony, exchange rings, and live together as a married couple (or triple) without any problem, but the state will not recognize it. If you want the state to treat you similarly to those persons whose marriages they recognize you need to include each other in your wills since you will not inherit from each other under state law, if you buy real estate you need to make sure you buy it as 'joint tenants with right of survivor-ship' (which is the default for married couples), and you are free to structure your bank accounts as you please. The two main things you will not be able to do that other married couples can do are file joint taxes and include each other on your health insurance (although some insurance recognizes same sex significant others some does not and I have never come across any that will recognize a third person).
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Michael Bouldin ·
No, you cannot be married to 2 people at the same time. It is a felony for bigamy - being married to 2 people at the same time. 530.010 Bigamy -- Defense. (1) A person is guilty of bigamy when he: (a) Purports to marry another person knowing he has a husband or wife or knowing the other person has a husband or wife; or (b) Cohabits in this state after a bigamous marriage in another state. (2) It shall be a defense to bigamy that the accused believed he was legally eligible to remarry. (3) Bigamy is a Class D felony.
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