DuPaix said people shouldn't worry about being prosecuted for cohabitation if they are not married. She also said prosecutors are not going after polygamist marriages between two adults, mainly because prosecuting such cases is difficult and resource intensive. However, the Attorney General's Office will continue to pursue marriages involving minors.

"We are concerned about older men marrying younger girls and taking them as younger wives," DuPaix said. "Quite frankly, we believe that's child abuse."

Both sides of the polygamy debate reacted quickly to Tuesday's decision. Utah's leading anti-polygamy group, Tapestry Against Polygamy, said it was "elated" by the court's decision. However, the group's Vicki Prunty said people need to be more educated about the abuses within plural marriage.

"Especially here in the state of Utah, you'd think it would be more of a black and white issue, but it really isn't," she said Tuesday. "We do not want the door opened to decriminalization."

Mary Batchelor, of the pro-polygamy group Principle Voices, said she was "disappointed but not surprised" by the court's decision. She also pledged to continue "education" about polygamy and its positive side.

"We need to change the understanding that people have about our families," she said. "This is the way the court works. Generally an antagonistic opinion comes down first and then later it's overturned."

Batchelor said the troubles facing the FLDS Church have made polygamy the focus of much negative attention.

"Especially with the events of Warren Jeffs, this was completely expected," she said.

In their ruling, Utah's high court justices said that the issues surrounding polygamy will continue in the state.

"No matter how widely known the natural wonders of Utah may become, no matter the extent that our citizens earn acclaim for their achievements, in the public mind, Utah will forever be shackled to the practice of polygamy," Nehring wrote.

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