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Last week, a new television show aired on The Learning Channel (TLC).  Sister Wives is a reality show that follows a man, his three wives and their twelve children.  One of the wives is currently pregnant, which will bring the total number of children to 13 and the show promises to reveal the courtship and what looks like to be an eventual marriage to a fourth wife later in the season.

Sister Wives is built on the premise of revealing to all of America that polygamy isn’t perverted and in fact, it shouldn’t be illegal.  Attorneys, especially those in areas where polygamy is heavily practiced, have staunchly represented their clients in the past, usually not winning, however.  Polygamy is as much illegal today as it’s always been.  It’s just now a few practicing polygamists are stepping out of the shadows, in part due to the popularity of the HBO hit Big Love.

We asked A. Harrison Barnes, attorney and LawCrossing.com founder, if he felt a new trend was emerging that will be keeping lawyers busy as this practice attempts to push through the boundaries and land smack dab in the middle of mainstream America.  “As long as it’s illegal, there will be a veil, transparent as it is, but a veil nonetheless that will prevent it from hitting mainstream in that sense”, said Barnes.

Indeed, a quick search on any of the search engines covers the bases on everything from escaping these “cult-like unions” to those who insist it’s a legitimate way to live one’s life.  “Many people equate this practice to child brides and elderly men marrying ten year old girls”, says Barnes.  There are several “break away” groups that hide behind the traditional Mormon faith and anytime religion is involved, folks are treading on religious freedom rights.  It’s for these reasons the legal community struggles to keep that balance while effectively representing their clients.

Further adding fuel to the fire is what many say include burdening taxpaying Americans to support the often large number of offspring.  ABC News reported a few years ago that many women are forced to go on welfare to help provide for their children. In all fairness, and certainly it appears so in TLC’s new program, many families work hard to support their children and in the TLC project, all four adults are employed in professional positions, including one sister wife who is a psychologist and the husband, Kory, is employed as an advertising executive.

“It’s more likely the legalities, for this particular family anyway, will come in if and when the husband loses his job once his lifestyle is revealed”, said one Oklahoma attorney.

Many are predicting polygamy is the next red hot political topic, much the way same sex marriages are today, say several experts, including A. Harrison Barnes.  It will certainly provide for interesting debate as religion, freedom, politics and bigamy prepare to clash in courtrooms across the country, predicts the LawCrossing.com founder.

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