An alienation of affection lawsuit filed this week against state House Speaker Tim Moore is prompting debate about whether North Carolina should still allow jilted spouses to sue.
Moore faces a lawsuit from Scott Lassiter, a Wake County Soil and Water board member who says the speaker ruined his marriage.
Moore told reporters that he did have a relationship with Jamie Liles Lassiter, who leads a group for court clerks, but he said he thought Lassiter and her husband were separated.
The speaker says state law on the issue should change.
“As someone who’s now the victim of this lawsuit, absolutely I think we should repeal it," Moore said, "But it is what it is at this point, it’s a law that’s there. I think we’re one of three states that have it. I think it’s a law that can be very much abused, and is being abused in this case.”
But Senate leader Phil Berger disagrees. He noted that legislation to repeal alienation of affection lawsuits failed several years ago.
“I just think that there is some respect for marriage in the common law torts, and it’s something I don’t see a need to eliminate,” Berger said.