An affair plays a significant role in a large number of divorces.  It is a train wreck to a relationship.

A sure-fire way to wreak havoc in a marriage is to have an affair. Mississippi law defines adultery, for now*, as sexual intercourse with a person of the opposite sex, not your spouse.  However, due to the secretive nature of affairs you do not have to have an admission to prove adultery.

The ground can be proven through circumstantial evidence.

Upon a satisfactory showing of

1) inclination or infatuation, which can consist of cards, notes, emails, love letters, texts and phone records showing many calls; and

2) opportunity, which is the spouse and that other person alone together, be it in a car, house, motel, hotel, park or back alley, a Court can find that fault grounds exist.

Due to this, even the whole “it’s only an emotional affair” and the “we didn’t have sex” may not be enough to stop the Adultery train from running over you.

So, why do people have affairs?  They can be exciting, fun and pleasurable, at least for a little while.  What leads to this? Sometimes the person is unhappy, dissatisfied, over-stressed, unloved, under-appreciated, or at least believe that they are.

The problem is the affair does not fix the problem.  It only serves to make things worse.  Because along with an affair comes new baggage.  Guilt, secrecy, and the emotions of a third person are now commingled in your personal life.  An affair not only hurts your spouse, but also you, your children and the other party.  It has emotional consequences, financial consequences, custody consequences and legal consequences.

An affair is a Train wreck in the making.

Matthew Thompson is a Family Law Professor at MC Law and a Divorce Attorney encouraging you to avoid train wrecks!

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