Spouses could not file alienation of affection lawsuits after they separated from their spouse under a bill that cleared a Senate committee Tuesday.
North Carolina is one of only seven states that still has such a law allowing a husband or wife to sue their spouse's lover effectively for causing the marriage to break up, according to legislative staff. The bill would permit lawsuits only over extramarital affairs that occur while the couple are still married and living together.
Advocates argued that bitter spouses were filing lawsuits after separation as a means of harrassment and leverage in settling a divorce. Tami Fitzgerald, of the Christian Action League, said the bill removes an incentive for separated couples to focus on whether they want to reconcile their marriage.
"It doesn't give the couple time for talking, for counsel," Fitzgerald said, "for putting their marriage back together."
The bill also prohibits lawsuits against a spouse's employer for somehow making an affair possible, such as with a co-worker.
Blog RSS feed
Re: Cheatin' heart lawsuits limited
First I want to compliment Under the Dome on what a fantastic job they're doing ignoring this story. Eyes, ears, mouths covered when it comes to protecting this joker.
And of course XYZ you want to pretend that a person's character has no impact on the job they do as an elected representative.
How many scandals have to hit Raleigh before we learn?
I suppose you accept his notion that he's just a "normal" person - he's just like the rest of us.
Of course most of us have paid our tax bills 8 years late too, right? Had a court order by Wake County to take the money to repay them right out of our bank accounts?
(yes, the N&O did report on this - barely - when it came to light)
And we all toss our marriage vows out the window eventually.
It's "normal".
So let's turn a blind eye to all that and see if we can encourage Harrell to run for higher office so we can give this average joe even more power.