Judge Decriminalizes Polygamy in Utah

A federal judge has struck down part of Utah’s ban on polygamy, effectively decriminalizing it in the state. U.S. District Court Judge Clark Waddoups ruled Wednesday that the law’s phrase “or cohabits with another person” was deemed a violation of the free exercise clause of the First Amendment and the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The case was brought by Kody Brown and his four wives, stars of the TLC reality show Sister Wives. In a lawsuit, the Browns claimed the state law forced them to flee Utah over fears of persecution. They were awarded financial compensation.