Can my wife sue my mistress?

[divorcing_male]

What is the name of your state?
CT

My wife and I are in the early stages of a divorce and she found out that I have had relations with another woman who lives in FL. She has threatened to sue this other woman several times. Can she sue her? Does she have any legal grounds under which she can do so?

 

[SHORTY LONG]

Elaborate on early stages of your divorce please!

 

[divorcing_male]

We have met with a mediator and started working on how we are going to split everything up but nothing has been filed yet.

 

[almost done]

What is the name of your state?
CT

she found out that I have had relations with another woman who lives in FL.

elaborate on what exactly your wife discovered as well. (in relation to the "relations")

 

[divorcing_male]

She found phone records and text messages but its not that difficult to figure out that the relationship was sexual. She may not have any proof that it was a sexual one but I do not know for sure.

 

[quincy]

Your wife could sue your mistress for alienation of affections or criminal conversation. Not sure how seriously Connecticut looks at these charges, however. It is rarely used now in many states, although they are still listed as crimes.

 

[las365]

This made me curious. According to a little internet research, Connecticut did away with the action for alienation of affection. It was suggested that intentional infliction of emotional distress might be a substitute, but there is a pretty high standard of proof.

I think in this day and age it is probably unlikely that a spouse is going to prevail in a suit against the person the other spouse cheats with.

I don't know about criminal conversion... are spouses property in criminal law? I'm not being a smart aleck, I just would never have thought of that.

 

[quincy]

Criminal conversation is basically adultery.

(Michigan currently has an interesting adultery case - adultery is a felony in Michigan, and the guy is facing life in prison )

 

[las365]

Ahhhh, conversation. I read "conversion." Hence my confusion.

Life in prison for adultery seems a tad harsh.

 

[CLBKLCDTB]

I think in this day and age it is probably unlikely that a spouse is going to prevail in a suit against the person the other spouse cheats with.

To bad too.

I bet it might make folks think twice before getting involved with a married person.
I also think if the injured spouse knew these such laws existed within their state.....there would be more suits against the mistress/man the spouse cheated with.

 

[CLBKLCDTB]

What is the name of your state?
CT

My wife and I are in the early stages of a divorce and she found out that I have had relations with another woman who lives in FL. She has threatened to sue this other woman several times. Can she sue her? Does she have any legal grounds under which she can do so?

I hope she tries...

 

[cbg]

I hope she takes both of you for everything you've got.

 

[ladybug3]

You may benefit from looking at this thread because it deals with a similar issue. I was not having an affair with this man but he had already declared his love for me when his wife basically thought we were having an affair - not the case - so I did my research and found out that she pretty much couldn't touch me. There is some information there where you can find out what your state says. I wonder if it changes when the 3rd party lives in another state... meaning, can the 3rd party's state laws be applied in this case?

Thread: "Can the paramour be sued under VA law?"