Sister Wives has found itself at the center of a legal controversy, as the show is being referenced in an ongoing lawsuit involving the Apostolic United Brethren (AUB) and a battle over land rights in Pinesdale, Montana. This case sheds light on a long-standing issue within the fundamentalist Mormon community, where residents are fighting for ownership of the land they’ve built their lives upon.

The lawsuit, which has made headlines, revolves around Pinesdale, a town established decades ago by fundamentalist Mormons as a refuge for those practicing polygamy. Over the years, families constructed homes, schools, and businesses on land technically owned by the AUB, a Utah-based breakaway sect of the LDS Church. Residents contributed tithes and labor under the belief that they were investing in their community, with the understanding that they would eventually be granted ownership of their properties. However, the AUB has refused to relinquish control, arguing that the land was never meant to be individually owned. 

With nearly 900 people currently living in Pinesdale, tensions have escalated as former followers seek legal recognition of their rights. The conflict intensified in 2014 following allegations of misconduct against an AUB leader. Many residents began distancing themselves from the church and started questioning the financial aspects of their community’s structure. They soon realized that despite their decades of contributions, they held no legal claim to the land beneath their homes.