Edmunds Anti-Polygamy Act of 1882
The Edmunds Anti-Polygamy Act of 1882 is a U.S. federal law that made polygamy a felony in federal territories. The Act barred individuals practicing polygamy or unlawful cohabitation from voting, holding public office, or serving on juries.
The law targeted the practice of plural marriage among members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) in Utah Territory, following rising tensions between Mormons and non-Mormons. While some questioned whether the law violated religious freedom, it was upheld and strictly enforced soon after passage. In 1890, the Supreme Court upheld a related law, the Edmunds–Tucker Act, in Late Corp. of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints v. United States, which led to the disincorporation of the LDS Church.
[Last reviewed in July of 2025 by the Wex Definitions Team]
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