Love is the cornerstone of any successful marriage. When someone else takes that love away, a marriage can quickly fall apart. If you experience alienation of affection in your marriage, you may wonder if there is anything you can do. Let’s explore what alienation of affection is in NC, and when you can file a lawsuit against the person who took your spouse’s love away from you.
What is Alienation of Affection?
Alienation of Affection is about the loss of love you once enjoyed in your marital relationship. Perhaps your spouse used to spend hours with you every day of the week. You enjoyed many activities together, and others envied your “amazing relationship.” You both knew that you were the love of each other’s lives and would be together forever.
But then someone came into your spouse’s life through a working relationship. This person began to take more and more of the time you previously enjoyed with your spouse. You noticed that your spouse started coming home late every weekday and having weekend work commitments also. They began taking showers whenever they walked in the door or were always “too tired” to spend time with you.
Perhaps you thought this was strange and began to miss your constant interactions with them. You started to discuss your feelings with your spouse, but they brushed you off.
As you started to worry that you had done something wrong to push your spouse away, you began to see hints that all was not well in your marriage. It slowly dawned on you that “work” was code for time with someone else.
At this point, the clues got more pronounced. This other person began to openly flirt with your spouse, even in front of you, when you stopped by the office. Your spouse started texting all hours of the night and changed all of their digital passcodes.
You realized that this problem was more than just a little flirtation. You started to see how little your spouse cared for you anymore. They stopped eating with you, going out with friends together, or even sleeping in the same bed.
They ignored your pain, dismissed your invitations, and even got sarcastic about your love for them. As time passed, you realized that your spouse no longer loved you because of their intimate involvement with this new person. This new relationship was taking all their time and energy away from you.
This story is one of many ways that Alienation of Affection lawsuits begin. Every story is different, but every story is also the same. The heartbreak, loneliness, and devastation are universal to those who lose a loving partner to someone who just doesn’t care what they stole from you.
What is an Alienation of Affection Lawsuit?
Alienation of affection is when another person deliberately and maliciously interferes in your marriage, causing your spouse to love you less.
They can pull your spouse away on purpose, through many different actions, such as inappropriate:
- Times with your spouse
- Intimate moments with your spouse
- Texting, emails, and social media interaction with your spouse
- Trips or dinners out
- Phone calls timed to be when you are not around
It hurts when someone you love and have a marriage with pulls away and gives their affections to another. However, you don’t have to go through this alone. An experienced family law attorney can help you see what your options are going forward.
When Can You File an Alienation of Affection Lawsuit?
Alienation of affection allows you to sue for damages after your marriage ends. Your spouse and their new paramour caused harm to your dignity and reputation. They caused emotional pain that felt like the end of the world.
If you decide to seek an alienation of affection suit in North Carolina, there are a few things you must affirm:
- You and your spouse enjoyed a happy marriage and experienced genuine love and affection for each other.
- The other person alienated and destroyed the love and affection between you and your spouse.
- The person you are suing committed wrongful and malicious acts, causing the loss of affection and love in your marriage.
There are cases in North Carolina where individuals received damages in an Alien of Affection lawsuit for millions of dollars. However, this is not the average amount a person receives. Talk with your family law attorney about how much you might expect to reasonably win in an Alienation of Affection lawsuit.
How to Prove Your Evidence in Court
When someone comes into your marriage and takes away the love and affection you once enjoyed, this is painful and unfair to you. You may wish to take action and file an alienation of affection lawsuit against the person who interfered in your marriage.
To prove alienation of affection, you will need evidence such as:
- Text messages
- Emails
- Social media posts
- Phone records
You will also need to prove that you had a happy marriage with genuine love and affection for each other. You can verify this through:
- Testimony from friends and family members
- Photographs
- Home videos
An alienation of affection lawsuit is a way to stand up for yourself after someone else’s actions have hurt your marriage.
We Can Help
At Plekan Law, we understand how difficult it is to deal with the pain of alienation of affection. We can help you understand your legal options and get the compensation you deserve. Our experience in these cases gives us the insight you need to get your best outcome! Contact us today for a free consultation