Alienation of affections

Alienation of affections (sometimes called homewrecker law) is a common lawtort in some jurisdictions, wherein a civil lawsuit action is brought by a spouse against a third party alleged to be responsible for damaging the marriage, most often referring to one that has ended in divorce. The defendant in an alienation of affections suit is typically an adulterous spouse's lover, although family members, counselors, and therapists or clergy members who have advised a spouse to seek divorce have also been sued for alienation of affections.

The tort of alienation of affections often overlaps with another "heart balm" tort: criminal conversation. Alienation of affections has similarity with the tort of tortious interference, where a third party can be held liable for interfering with the contractual relationship between two parties.