Fornication

In criminal law. Unlawful carnal knowledge by an unmarried person of another, whether the latter be married or unmarried. Fornication is distinguished from "adultery" by the fact that the guilty person is not married. Four cases of unlawful intercourse may arise: Where both parties are married; where the man only is married; intercourse must be adultery; in the second case the crime is fornication only on the part of the woman, but adultery on the part of the man; in the third case it is adultery in the woman, and fornication (by statute, in some states, adultery) in the man; in the last case it is fornication only in both parties. In some states it is indictable by statute.

6 Vt. 311; 2 Tayl. (N. C.) 165; 2 Grat. (Va.) 555.