Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Family Law Blogs -> Mississippi Family Law Blog

Family Law

: Mississippi Family Law Blog

What's the price of an affair? $9 million in North Carolina

By Robert M. Kisselburgh, Esq.

Jury awards $9 million dollars against paramour for alienation of affection Cynthia Shackelford sued her husband's mistress for having an affair with her husband and breaking up their marriage. Shackelford's husband, an attorney, met Anne Lundquist, the paramour, while providing legal services to Guilford College, where Lundquist was the dean of campus life. What is interesting about the case is that the Lundquists are not yet divorced. While divorce proceedings are pending, the divorce has not been finalized, according to the article. A jury in the Guilford County District Court awarded Ms. Shackelford nine million dollars for alienation of affection, criminal conversion and intentionally and recklessly causing severe emotional distress. Most states don't allow these types of lawsuits, but North Carolina is one of a handful of states that still recognizes the tort of alienation of affection. Mississippi is another one. The question now is whether Ms. Shackelford can recover the judgment. That is the problem with bringing these lawsuits as most individuals don't have enough assets to pay such a large judgment. According to the attorney handling the case, he says his client will collect some of the judgment and the remainder will serve to vindicate his client. Information provided by Robert Kisselburgh, Mississippi Divorce Lawyer

Full post as published by Mississippi Family Law Blog on March 30, 2010 (boomark / email).