NC Mom, Jezebel Senator Duke It Out in Court

Letter to Romans: Are Jezebel lawsuits always incompatible with modern “No Fault Divorce” laws? In common law, they were called “alienation of affection” suits. Enter NC’s uncommon “homewrecker” case involving Arizona Senator’s affair with her bodyguard.

As the WSJ coverage noted, only a “few states still allow a spouse to sue a ‘homewrecker’ for breaking up a marriage.” So much the worse for ex-Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema who looked so wholesome yet Vogue-like in her campaign photos. She’s being sued by North Carolina’s Heather Ammel, a mother of three, who discovered sexy text messaging twixt Sinema & her husband Matt. But geo distance notwithstanding, instead of suing her roving hubby she sued the Sinema under her home state of NC’s homewrecker law. Not that it’s a light legal lift. To win the big bucks, Mrs. Ammel must prove there was genuine “love & affection” between the spouses & that it was “maliciously” destroyed. If it can be proven “adultery” was part of the tryst, something called “criminal conversation” can up the potential award.

As the WSJ reminded, while proponents of the case & the state law authorizing it say they “support & strengthen marriage,” most states have either stayed away from such law-making or “have scrapped them as relics of a distant past.” According to the critics, the few homewrecker laws that do exist, they are “abused as a blackmail tool in divorces, enrich lawyers & let spouses who misbehave off the hook.” On the other hand, Mississippi & South Dakota agree with North Carolina that the law and litigation is warranted in where the third party really harms the marriage & there is significant loss to the parties AND THEIR CHILDREN. Opined NC lawyer John Vermitsky who specializes in homewrecker litigation: “Take the classic case where you have a 28-yr-old, very attractive secretary who seduces a 65-yr-old married man to get a better life.” In such a case, I say let Jezebel & old geezer stew in their own juices. But, in Sinema’s case, in which she admitted to the affair if not to all the sordid details, I say let the Jezebel pay for the 3 kids’ college education at Duke.

Davd Soul