If I found out that my “husband” was still married to someone else when we were married, what is he entitled to if we split up?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
If I found out that my “husband” was still married to someone else when we were married, what is he entitled to if we split up?
I married someone 8 years ago not knowing he was still legally married to someone else. Now he is threatening me with going to court and filing for alimony because I make more money than he does. How do I get this settled so that I can get married in the future? Does bigamy void our marriage?
Asked on July 23, 2011 California
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
If your "husband" was not legally single when he married you, meaning he was still married to someone else, you marriage most likely in the State you live in is invalid. You should consult with a family law lawyer soon about the situation.
If you want the situation resolved and want nothing to do with him in the future, a petition with the court in the county where you live to declare the marriage "invalid" is in order if in fact your "husband" was not legally divorced from his first wife when you married him. If this is true, criminal charges could be filed against him for "bigamy" depending upon the laws of your State.
Good luck.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.