A Montana man said Wednesday that he was inspired by last week's U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage to apply for a marriage license so that he can legally wed his second wife. Nathan Collier and his wives Victoria and Christine applied at the Yellowstone County Courthouse in Billings on Tuesday in an attempt to legitimize their polygamous marriage. Montana, like all 50 states, outlaws bigamy - holding multiple marriage licenses - but Collier said he plans to sue if the application is denied.
'It's about marriage equality,' Collier said Wednesday. 'You can't have this without polygamy.'
Collier and his second wife were met with confusion when they went to the Yellowstone County court house on Tuesday to fill out the application.
'So, are you legally married, you didn't get divorced?' one clerk asked, when he saw that Collier marked 'not applicable' on a question asking the dissolution date of his previous marriage.
Collier responded that he was indeed still married and trying to marry for a second time.
'We'll have to deny that, let me go grab the other supervisor real quick so I can get confirmation but as far as I'm aware you can't be married to two people at the same time,' another clerk said.
County clerk officials initially denied Collier's application, then said they would consult with the county attorney's office before giving him a final answer, Collier said.
Yellowstone County chief civil litigator Kevin Gillen said he is reviewing Montana's bigamy laws and expected to send a formal response to Collier by next week.
'I think he deserves an answer,' Gillen said, but added his review is finding that 'the law simply doesn't provide for that yet.'
'All we want is legal legitimacy. We aren't asking anybody for anything else. We just want to give our marriage and our family the legitimacy that it deserves,' Nathan Collier said.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Nathan Collier said he had yet to hear an answer from the county attorney on their decision to grant or deny the marriage license.
However, he says that he has told through 'other sources' that the attorney general's office is considering charging him for bigamy.
'I knew the risks I faced when I asked the State to grant legal legitimacy to my family, and I accepted those risks.
'I only ask that if their intent is to lock me in a cage (and we wonder why they keep asking for more money to expand the jails?!?!?) over my family dynamic, contact me privately and I will walk in your front door.
'I have no reason to run or hide. Please, don't kick my door in and shoot my dogs,' Collier wrote.
Collier goes on to say that he is 'saddened' that his family faces such challenges in the 'land of the free'.
'You can believe that the entire nation is and will be watching your choices and actions. There is no honor in destroying functional families,' Collier added.
The Supreme Court's ruling on Friday made gay marriages legal nationwide. Chief Justice John Roberts said in his dissent that people in polygamous relationships could make the same legal argument that not having the opportunity to marry disrespects and subordinates them.
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Poster Comment:
Seems to look like a "happy, loving, healthy" family...I mean who are we to judge if they all really love each other....The wise Latina wants to know...