Getting married to someone before their divorce is finalized, even if you didn’t know they were still married, constitutes bigamy. Bigamy is a federal crime and is illegal in all states; however, certain states, like Utah, have very lax rules on bigamy. If you didn’t know about your spouse’s existing marriage, you wouldn’t be in any direct violation of the law, but your spouse may be. Because the new marriage is illegal, it is considered void in every state and can be annulled. 

Many have made New Year resolutions and subsequently failed to keep said resolutions; good-bye dry January, hello damp January. For others, the hope of a better year inspires them to get that divorce finally. But, as we experienced in 2020, divorce during the age of Covid looks a little different. If you're planning to file for divorce, or you're already in the process, there are some factors you should consider and some steps you can take now to prepare.

People make bad decisions when going through a divorce. Often, one or both spouses may feel the other isn't entitled to money or property that should be split equitably. They'll try to empty a joint bank account, sell off property, transfer assets to another person, or move money into a hidden account. In the past, Illinois would place an automatic freeze on a divorcing couple's marital assets, but that law was deemed unconstitutional.