A little-known legal doctrine allowing spouses to sue their partners’ lovers for allegedly disrupting their marriage remains a rare but persistent fixture in North Carolina courts, with roughly 150 new cases filed annually. Critics argue the law blurs boundaries between personal relationships and legal liability, while supporters defend it as a way to hold third parties accountable for intentional harm. The legal precedent, rooted in centuries-old tort principles, continues to spark debate over privacy, consent, and the limits of civil litigation. Whether it serves justice or overreaches, the practice raises questions about how far courts should intervene in matters of love and betrayal.
This tort, which lets people sue their spouses' lovers for interfering with the marriage, is litigated in about 150 new cases per year in North Carolina.
