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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
The Gift of a Good Dog
1
The Friendship Shift After Kids
2
A Very Expensive Bad Idea
Refreshing Gazpacho
3
Popcorn’s Hollywood Break
A Case That Tests the Limits of Marital Accountability
4
WHERE RELATIONSHIPS MEET LIABILITY
The Cost of Crossing a Line in Someone Else’s Marriage
Marriage can be the most challenging adventure any of us will undertake. While it can be a rewarding and loving experience when you have the right partner, not everyone is so lucky. According to the experts, nearly half of all marriages end in divorce or separation. Infidelity is often a leading cause for divorce, but in most states, the betrayed spouse has no avenue for reparation from the cheater and their affair partner. North Carolina is one of the few states that allow alienation of affection lawsuits, and a prominent political figure has just found herself embroiled in a scandal. At the beginning of the year, Heather Ammel filed a lawsuit against former U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema for deliberately interfering in her marriage by seducing and having sex with her husband, Matthew, despite knowing he was married. Matthew worked as a security guard for Sinema and regularly joined her on trips to events, festivals, and concerts. Heather claims that Sinema sent racy pictures
and messages outside the bounds of a normal working relationship during 2023 and 2024. She also claimed the former senator encouraged Matthew to bring illicit drugs on a work trip. Heather and Matthew separated in November 2024, and Heather alleges that Sinema’s actions were the final straw for their marriage. Matthew and Sinema currently reside in Maricopa County, Arizona. Sinema has since filed a motion to dismiss the complaint, arguing that their relationship occurred exclusively outside North Carolina. She also stated that their romantic relationship did not start until May 2024, five months before Matthew and Heather separated. Alienation of affection cases are few and far between, as the betrayed spouse has to prove that a third party is responsible for the failure of the marriage. However, they often lead to big verdicts and settlements when they go to trial, especially when prominent names are involved.
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