Back in 1997, Sandra Valentine of Holly Springs, Mississippi (in the north, central part of the state), started working for a realtor named Jerry Fitch. Two years later, Sandra gave birth to a baby girl . . . who turned out to be JERRY'S kid, not her husband's.
Sandra and her husband, Johnny Valentine, got divorced and, during the process, she admitted she'd had an affair with Jerry. After the divorce was final, Sandra and Jerry got married. (None of their ages were reported, but Sandra looks to be in her 50s and Jerry is even older.)
WELL . . . turns out, Mississippi is one of seven states that still has an alienation of affection law. (--Along with Hawaii, Illinois, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Dakota and Utah.)
Those are laws that are hundreds of years old that let you SUE a person for stealing away your spouse . . . giving you damages for, quote, "a loss of society, companionship, love, affection and sexual relations." So Johnny SUED Jerry under that law.
A court ruled in his favor . . . and awarded him $750,000. Jerry is a multi-millionaire from his real estate work; Johnny has WAY, WAY less money than that from his career as a plumber.
Jerry's been appealing that ruling against him for almost a DECADE . . . arguing that alienation of affection laws are unconstitutional, antiquated and, quote, "based on medieval notions about marriage and [wives being] property."
But now, finally . . . it's over. Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court decided NOT to hear Jerry's case, so the ruling stands . . . and he has to pay Johnny $750,000 for stealing his wife. (!!!) (MSNBC) (TCS)
(--Here's a picture of Sandra and Jerry . . .)
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