A Montana man has applied for a marriage license so he can legally wed his second wife and make his polygamous relationship legal.
Currently polygamy is illegal under Montana state law and recognized as a misdemeanor offense.
Nathan Collier of Billings, Mont. said Wednesday that last week's U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage inspired him to try to force the acceptance of polygamous marriages, NWI Times reports.
"We just want to add legal legitimacy to an already happy, functional, strong loving family," Collier told KTVQ.
Nathan has been legally married to Vicki since 2000. He and his second wife, Christine, had a religious wedding ceremony in 2007 but didn't sign a marriage license.
Collier declared that he'll sue the state if his application is rejected – and he wasn't kidding.
Yellowstone County Courthouse officials initially denied the application on Tuesday; but when he told officials he planned to sue, they retraced their steps and said they would consult with the county attorney before giving him a final answer, reports ABC News.
"It's two distinct marriages, it's two distinct unions, and for us to come together and create family, what's wrong with that?" said Christine. "I don't understand why it's looked upon and frowned upon as being obscene."
The couple's goal is to have their story heard.
The Colliers say that if the state of Montana could only recognize their marriage as legal, it could be the catalyst for other states to follow suit.
The Colliers have appeared on the TLC show 'Sister Wives'.
