Polyamory

Polyamory is the practice or lifestyle of being part of more than one long-term, intimate, and (usually but not necessarily) sexual loving relationship at the same time, with the full knowledge and consent of all partners involved. Persons who consider themselves emotionally suited to such relationships may define themselves as polyamorous, often abbreviated to poly.

Legal status of polyamorous relationships

Three or more people may legally form and share a relationship in most countries (subject sometimes to laws against homosexuality). But such laws do not usually permit marriage, nor do they give full legal protection to all partners equally, nor as strong protection (e.g., parental rights) as they do to married couples. They are considered no different than people or live together or date under other circumstances. Usually one couple, at most, can elect to be treated as "married".

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Bigamy is the offence of marrying one person whilst already being married to another, and is strictly enforced in most countries, though some permit it. Having multiple partners, even if married to one, is legal in most countries, at most it constitutes grounds for divorce if the primary partner is non consensual (or claims to be) or feels that the interest in a further partner has destabilized the marriage. There are, however, exceptions in some states: In North Carolina a spouse can sue a third party for causing "loss of affection" in their spouse http://www.aoc.state.nc.us/www/public/coa/opinions/2001/010003-1.htm and more than twenty states in the US have laws against adultery http://writ.news.findlaw.com/grossman/20031216.html.

Related Topics:
Bigamy - Divorce

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The extension of laws which use a test similar to the UK test of "married or living together as married" to multiple-partner relationships (ie treating them as commonlaw marriage) to trios or larger groups is untested at present.

Related Topics:
UK - Commonlaw marriage

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If marriage is intended, most countries provide for both a religious marriage, and a civil ceremony (sometimes combined), both of which recognize and formalize the relationship. Few countries recognize or will permit marriages with three or more partners either legally or religiously. Some, such as the Netherlands, are exceptions, permitting multiple partner civil unions, the first legal recognition and union of 3 people in a relationship taking place there in September 2005. http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/301

Related Topics:
The Netherlands - Civil union - September 2005

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When a couple split up, non-consensual non-fidelity ("cheating") is often grounds for an unfavorable divorce settlement, and non-fidelity generally could easily be seized upon as a prejudicial issue by an antagonistic partner. Married people with partners external to the marriage might need to consider carefully the laws in their jurisdiction, to ensure that they are complied with, and consider how to ensure that the mutuality of their decision within their marriage is clear.

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