Knight v. Woodfield: A Louisiana resident was subject to suit in Mississippi for texting, calling and emailing the plaintiff’s wife in Mississippi.
By Mark Chinn, family lawyer
Jurisdiction in alienation of affections suits. Mississippi allows people to sue people who break up their marriage through adultery. This action for money damages is called, “alienation of affections.” It is said there are only 6 states that allow this. As everyone knows, each state has different laws and citizens of one state are not generally subject to the laws of another, unless they have what is called “minimum contacts” with the state. Committing an act in Mississippi which is negligent or violates the laws of Mississippi can constitute minimum contacts. In the recent decision of Knight v. Woodfield, No. 2009-IA-01371-SCT (Decided 1/6/13), the Court held that a Louisiana resident was subject to suit in Mississippi for texting, calling and emailing the plaintiff’s wife in Mississippi. No allegations were made that the defendant ever set foot in Mississippi.
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Mark Chinn received his undergraduate degree from Iowa State University in 1975 and his Law Degree from the University of Mississippi in 1978. He is admitted to practice in all courts in Mississippi, the Fifth and Seventh Circuits and the United States Supreme Court. Mark is a frequent contributor in periodicals such as the American Journal of Family Law, The Family Advocate, Small Firm Profit Report and Fair Share on the subjects of client relations, service and law practice management.
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