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Simple English definitions for legal terms
anti-heartbalm statute
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A quick definition of anti-heartbalm statute:
An anti-heartbalm statute is a law in some states that eliminates the right to sue for emotional distress caused by a loss of love or relationship. This includes lawsuits for alienation of affections, breach of promise to marry, criminal conversation, and seduction of a person over the legal age of consent. These laws were created because it is difficult to prove the cause of a loss and there is potential for abusive prosecution. Some people call these laws anti-heartbalm statutes, but the more common term is heartbalm statute.
A more thorough explanation:
An anti-heartbalm statute is a law in some states that eliminates the right to sue for monetary damages due to emotional distress caused by a loss of love and relationship. This includes lawsuits for alienation of affections, breach of promise to marry, criminal conversation, and seduction of a person over the legal age of consent.
For example, if someone breaks off an engagement, the other person cannot sue for damages under an anti-heartbalm statute. These laws were created because it is difficult to determine the cause of a loss and there is potential for abusive prosecution.
Heartbalm statutes were originally created under English common law, where a broken engagement could result in a lawsuit for breach of promise to marry. However, widespread criticism of these lawsuits led to the passage of heartbalm statutes in many US jurisdictions beginning in the 1930s.