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Simple English definitions for legal terms
heartbalm statute
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A quick definition of heartbalm statute:
A heartbalm statute is a law in some states that stops people from suing for money when they feel sad or hurt because of a breakup or lost relationship. This means that people can't sue for things like breaking a promise to get married, cheating, or seducing someone who is over the legal age. These laws were made because it's hard to prove how much someone is hurt and some people were using these lawsuits to be mean or get money.
A more thorough explanation:
A heartbalm statute is a law in some states that eliminates the right to sue for monetary damages as a way to cope with the 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 due to emotional distress caused by the broken engagement. This is because the heartbalm statute eliminates the right to sue for such damages.
Many states have enacted heartbalm statutes because it is difficult to determine the cause of a loss and there is potential for abusive prosecution. The term heartbalm statute is used to describe the law that abolishes lawsuits that were known as heartbalm suits.