A divorced man just won a $750,000 lawsuit against the man he claims broke up his marriage.
According to CBS, Kevin Howard's wife of 12 years approached him about separating and he learned it was because of a man that he also knew personally.
"He came to my house and ate dinner with my children and I and her," he said. "He would visit with her while I was at work."
Howard entered the lawsuit with North Carolina's alienation of affection law, which is also known as the homewrecker or heartbalm law. Under this law, a case can be brought to court by a spouse who's been abandoned because of the actions of a third party, which can also include in-laws, parents, or clergy members.
Minnesota doesn't have the alienation of affection law, but South Dakota and Illinois do, along with a few other states.
The alienation of affection law in North Carolina is from the 1800s and follows English law from 1745 when wives were thought to be property.
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