$500,000 Alienation of Affection judgment

As a family law practitioner I was suprised to see a $500,000 verdict awarded to a woman based on the tort of alienation of affection in Greensboro, North Carolina. Here's the Greensboro News-Record's take on the case.

Pretty smart defendant who was not represented and didn't show up for court at any of the proceedings.

We still have this tort in Illinois and I've looked into it on behalf of clients. I know there was a suit within the last five years involving Olive Garden restaurant as a defendant. As an admitted "family values" guy, I support this tort and making dissolution of marriage a little more difficult than it is frankly.