‘Sister Wives’ Lawsuit Update — Does Meri Brown’s Catfish Scandal Shine Light on Dysfunction In Polygamy?
Sister Wives is on hiatus, but their crusade to legalize polygamy is set to take center stage, on January 21st. This marks the day when the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments on whether a judge correctly struck down parts of Utah’s ban on polygamy. The Brown family will face off against the state of Utah in the case, Brown v Buhman, in an ongoing battle for plural marriage freedom.
The Browns filed a lawsuit against Utah County Attorney, Jeff Buhman, and the state of Utah, after police in Lehi began investigating the family for suspicion of bigamy. No charges were filed. In 2013, a federal judge ruled in the Browns’ favor, striking down the portion of the statute that criminalized three or more adults living together in marriage. U.S. Federal Judge Clark Waddoups ruled that portions of Utah’s anti-polygamy laws prohibiting multiple cohabitation, were unconstitutional.
READ: Inside #SisterWives Kody Brown and His Four Wives’ Polygamy Lawsuit Against The State of Utah
The ruling vaguely legitimized polygamy, and as a result, Kody’s shaggy head grew a few hat sizes. The Browns’ lawyer argued that polygamy is cool, and that there is no evidence of abuse or fraud on the Brown cult cul-de-sac. Brazenly, the Brown bunch pointed to U.S. Supreme Court rulings in favor of same sex marriage, as an argument for demanding the right to marry numerous women. The hardcore Mormon belief that homosexuality is a no-no, was conveniently and selectively ignored, by the plural reality family.
The Utah Attorney General’s Office is fighting back, and in oral arguments and court papers, points to cases such as the imprisoned polygamist, and cult master, Warren Jeffs. The Attorney General plans to argue that polygamy is harmful to women and children, and that the state of Utah maintains an interest in preventing abuse.
The catfished plight of Meri Brown inadvertently shined a media spotlight on the female misery that exists within the inherently dysfunctional dynamic of plural marriage.
READ: More Heartache! Meri Brown CATFISHED After Being Dumped As Kody Brown’s Wife Number One
Did the Browns victimized tale of woe effectively mask the exposure of the dangerously needy underbelly of the polygamist lifestyle? Time will tell.
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Becca is a Senior Editor for All About The Tea. She’s a coastal girl who loves the outdoors, and writing about the sneaky and silly side of reality TV. Her bio is short, but her snark is endless. She loves writing for the sharpest posters in the world.