Is there any kind of recourse I might be able to legally take against someone who broke up a happy family because of an affair?
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Is there any kind of recourse I might be able to legally take against someone who broke up a happy family because of an affair?
While I was deployed for 7 months my wife had an affair with 2 men. This caused my wife and I to get divorced. It has caused a lot of pain to my children and I. My wife and I were happy prior to me leaving, they used the fact that I was serving my country to exploit her loneliness. I was just wondering if there was any way legally that I could sue them for wrecking my marriage?
Asked on June 14, 2011 under Family Law, Indiana
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
What you are referring to here is something kpwn in the law as "Alienation of Affection". However, virtually states no longer allow such a suit to be brought, including IN. Even if one could be filed in this case, you may not have won. In order prevail, a plaintiff (the innocent spouse) must prove that the defendants' (the 2 men) actions were the sole cause of the break-up of the marriage. The test the court uses is whether or not the spouse’s love and affection for the plaintiff just naturally drifted away or whether the defendant's conduct was the cause. And since your wife was with not one, but two different men, that would be hard to prove. Frankly, you wouldn't be awarded much in damages if you did win; these suits typically are not cost effective (i.e. it would cost more to file suit then what you would be awarded in you won the case).
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