UPDATE: On Wednesday afternoon, the Utah Attorney General’s Office formally filed its notice of appearance in the case.
ORIGINAL STORY:
SALT LAKE CITY — The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Utah has failed to comply with guidelines to appeal a judge’s ruling that essentially decriminalized polygamy in the state.
In a notice filed Wednesday morning, the federal appeals court said the Utah Attorney General’s Office has failed to enter a notice of appearance, and gave the state 10 days to fix it. The state had previously filed an appeal, but the court filing states the lawyers did not make an entry of appearance on behalf of Utah.
Read the filing by the 10th Circuit Court here:
Utah is appealing a ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Clark Waddoups that struck down the cohabitation prong of the state’s polygamy ban. The judge did preserve the part of the ban that makes it illegal to pursue multiple marriage licenses.
The lawsuit was filed by reality TV polygamist Kody Brown and his wives Meri, Janelle, Christine and Robyn. The family, who appear on the cable show “Sister Wives,” claimed Utah’s ban on plural marriage violated their First Amendment right to practice their religion.
