Can You Be Jailed or Fined for Cheating On Your Spouse in Idaho?

Thanks to the prevalence social media and online dating apps like Tinder, there's more temptation than ever to step out on your spouse.

It doesn't matter how much you clicked with that person that slipped into your DMs. It doesn't matter how dreamy the person you started chatted with on Bumble is, because as a married person. you shouldn't be on there in the first place. Morally, this is wrong and a totally dirtbag move, but can you get away with it legally in Idaho?

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Believe it or not, a handful of states still have adultery laws on the books. In a significant portion of those states, it's a misdemeanor. Idaho isn't one of those states. We're on the list of states that not only have a law against adultery, it's considered a felony here.

Passed in 1972, you'll find the verbiage in Title 18, Section 66 of Idaho's Laws & Rules. The law reads:

So, what happens to someone found guilty of such a salacious felony crime? Then penalties include fines of anywhere from $100 to $1000, imprisonment in a county jail for anywhere from three months to one year or imprisonment in the state penitentiary for up to three years.

Not the Only Idaho Law Patrolling the Bedroom

Technically a legally single person who's hooked-up with someone else who's single, did a no-no even if both parties are consenting adults. Also passed in 1972, you'll find the "Fornication" law in the same section of Idaho's laws as adultery. It reads:

What's the penalty? A little less harsh than adultery. Penalties include a fine of up to $300, up to six months jail time or a combination of both a fine and jail time.

That said, we could only find a handful of situations where these charges were used. One situation was part of a plea deal. Another was an attempt to discourage teen pregnancy.