Can You Marry While Still Married?

In the United States, individuals can only be married to one person. That means that if you've already been married, you must be legally divorced from your civil marriage before remarrying. A legal separation does not give you the greenlight to get married while still married.

What happens if you are married and get married again?

Bigamy occurs when a person is married to two different people at the same time as part of two different marriage contracts. If a person is married, it is a requirement for him or her to have the marriage dissolved through death, annulment or divorce before he or she can legally enter into a new marriage.

What is it called when you get married when you're already married?

In cultures where monogamy is mandated, bigamy is the act of entering into a marriage with one person while still legally married to another.