Fornication Laws Still on the Books in the United States
In short
A handful of states still list fornication or unmarried cohabitation as a misdemeanor, including Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Mississippi. These laws are effectively unenforceable for private conduct between consenting adults after Lawrence v. Texas (2003). Several states, among them Utah, Virginia, Idaho and Minnesota, have repealed theirs since 2019.
What the full article will cover
- Which states still have fornication laws?
- What penalties do these statutes list?
- Why can't these laws be enforced today?
- Which states repealed their fornication laws recently?
- Why do unenforceable laws stay on the books?
Frequently asked questions
- Can you be arrested for fornication in the US?
- Is living together unmarried illegal anywhere?
- Is adultery still a crime in some states?
- What did Lawrence v. Texas decide?
Sources
- law.cornell.edu — https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/fornication
- law.justia.com — https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-16/chapter-6/section-16-6-18/
- scstatehouse.gov — https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t16c015.php
- ncleg.gov — https://www.ncleg.gov/enactedlegislation/statutes/html/byarticle/chapter_14/article_26.html
- syfert.com — https://syfert.com/mississippi/sections/97-29-1.html
- le.utah.gov — https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title76/Chapter7/C76-7-S104_1800010118000101.pdf
- law.lis.virginia.gov — https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter8/section18.2-344/
- legislature.idaho.gov — https://legislature.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/sessioninfo/2022/legislation/S1325.pdf
- revisor.mn.gov — https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=609.34
General information, not legal or religious advice.