It is difficult enough when you learn that your spouse has cheated on you and
divorce seems inevitable. In some states, however, the injured party can seek
legal action against the cheating spouse, seeking damages for “alienation of affection.”
If you have been wronged before, you may have heard of “heart balm
torts,” or lawsuits seeking damages for adultery. In essence, you
are charging your spouse with the intentional damage to your relationship
by having relations with another man/woman. You can also sue your spouse
for “criminal conversation,” which is a similar charge that
is linked to adultery.
When you want to prove that alienation of affection has occurred in your
marriage, you need to prove several things. Since many of these items
are not tangible, seeking this kind of lawsuit can be difficult, although
not impossible. You must show that there was once love in the marriage,
and that the adulterous situation destroyed that love completely.
If alienation of affection is a concern of yours,
contact our firm to receive help from a Raleigh family lawyer.