On Oct. 4, 1940 the Nevada divorce mill ground out another decree, like thousands before and since. Middle-aged O. B. Williams and Mrs. Lillie Shaver Hendrix stopped six weeks at a Las Vegas auto camp to qualify for residence. They divorced their former spouses and were married. Back in North Carolina, a strange homecoming awaited them: each was convicted of bigamous cohabitation and sentenced to jail.
Last week the U.S. Supreme Court set aside their conviction and instructed every State to recognize Nevada divorces. For the Williamses, for uncounted* Smiths, Joneses, Thompsons, for Elliott Roosevelt, Barbara...