| Case
Name |
Year | Decision
of the Court | Topic
Group(s) | |
| Reynolds v. United States, 98 U.S. 145 | 1878 | Upheld federal law prohibiting polygamy. |
Free Exercise Exemptions-Miscellaneous
Polygamy
| |
| Miles v. United States, 103 U.S. 304 | 1880 | In prosecution for bigamy, calling second wife to testify against husband violates spousal testimonial privilege; voire dire may inquire into belief that polygamy is religiously required. |
Polygamy
| |
| Cannon v. United States, 116 U.S. 55 | 1885 | Meaning of "cohabit" in criminal statute is "living together as husband and wife," and does not require proof of sexual relations. |
Polygamy
| |
| Clawson v. United States, 114 U.S. 477 | 1885 | Upholding indictment for cohabitation and polygamy notwithstanding exclusion of Mormons from serving on grand jury. |
Polygamy
Religious Tests for Public Office
| |
| Murphy v. Ramsey, 114 U.S. 15 | 1885 | Upheld federal law disenfranchising polygamists. |
Polygamy
| |
| Cannon v. United States, 118 U.S. 355 | 1886 | Cannon v. United States, 116 U.S. 55 (1885), was vacated for want of jurisdiction. |
Polygamy
| |
| Snow v. United States, 118 U.S. 346 | 1886 | Appeal from multiple convictions for cohabitation for different years with same woman was dismissed for want of jurisdiction. |
Polygamy
| |
| In re Snow, 120 U.S. 274 | 1887 | Reversing multiple convictions for cohabitation for different years with same woman because offense was inherently a single continuous event. |
Polygamy
| |
| Ex Parte Hans Nielsen, 131 U.S. 176 | 1889 | Mormon who pleaded guilty of cohabitation (living together as husband and wife when married to another) could not also be tried for adultery. |
Polygamy
| |
| Bassett v. United States, 137 U.S. 496 | 1890 | Conviction for polygamy reversed where wife permitted to testify against husband contrary to testimonial privilege between spouses. |
Polygamy
| |
| Davis v. Beason, 133 U.S. 333 | 1890 | Upheld conviction for falsely taking oath to the effect that one was not member of polygamous organization. |
Polygamy
| |
| Late Corp. of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints v. United States, 136 U.S. 1 | 1890 | Upheld revocation of Mormon Church charter and confiscation of church property. |
Church Property
Polygamy
| |
| Late Corp. of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints v. United States,140 U.S. 665 | 1891 | Decree entered on opinion reported at 136 U.S. 1 (1890) |
Church Property
Polygamy
|
|
| Chatwin v. United States, 326 U.S. 455 | 1946 | Defendant who persuaded minor female to join him in "celestial" marriage is not guilty of kidnapping. |
Polygamy
| |
| Cleveland v. United States, 329 U.S. 14 | 1946 | The transportation across state lines of plural wives by members of polygamous sect was for an "immoral purpose" within meaning of the Mann Act. |
Polygamy
| |
| Musser v. Utah, 333 U.S. 95 | 1948 | Conviction for polygamy vacated and case remanded for consideration of state law questions. |
Polygamy
Religious Speech
| |
