So from the title of my blog, you are probably thinking I will be writing all about the “transgressions” of Tiger Woods. Although I love to keep up with pop culture and celebrity gossip, even I am sick of all the exposure his personal life has gotten in recent times! The media just loves to cover famous cheaters!
I will say that Tiger is lucky that he wasn't living in New Hampshire. New Hampshire still makes it a crime to commit adultery and although the wrongdoer won't face jail time, it is classified as a misdemeanor and carries a $1,200 fine. If you think that seems steep, when the law was first enacted, the adulterer was forced to stand on the gallows for an hour with a noose around his or her neck, received up to 39 lashes, and could spend up to a year in jail or a fine of 100 pounds!
Although the New Hampshire law, and other states that still criminalize adultery (including South Carolina, Alabama, and Georgia) are rarely if ever enforced, some lawmakers think it is important to keep laws like this on the books in order to send a message of the inappropriateness of adultery. By repealing the law, there is the notion that society has somehow taken a different stance on the issue or diluting the importance of marriage.
Those opposed to the adultery law say that laws should not be regulating sex, love, and marriage laws. Although laws have always regulated such things, the recent passage of gay marriage in New Hampshire (the sixth state to do so) is cited as a reason that love and marriage can take on many forms and we should have laws that allow it rather than limit it.
A recent LegalMatch study revealed an interest in adultery-related divorces. Those states that require a showing of "fault" for a divorce all too frequently list "adultery" as a reason. Additionally, the presence of adultery in a marriage is also a factor many state courts consider when determining alimony / spousal support, meaning the cheater will pay for his past mistakes in a big way!
I am in total unison with the lawmakers and think adultery is and always will be a bad thing. I also believe that it is an intensely private and personal matter that should be dealt with in the home, and not a matter of an individual lawsuit. When the issue does arise, it is best handled in divorce court when determining settlements, alimony, and other related issues.
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