Alienation of affections is the act of a third person who turns the affection of one family member away from another. In the past, only husbands could sue for alienation of affections, and they could do so only if the third person had interfered with the husband’s relationship with his wife. Today, wives also can sue. In recent years, a few plaintiffs have successfully sued for the alienation of a parent’s affections. A number of states in the United States prohibit alienation of affections suits. Opponents of the suits argue that they promote family conflict and enable dishonest people to obtain money by threatening to sue for alienation of affections. Barring such suits is also part of a trend in family law to avoid placing blame for the failure of a marriage.
