In Maine, is there any recourse against a spouse who commits adultery, deserts his family, and then moves in with the person he had the affair with?
Marianne
—
Dear Marianne,
If you are asking what can legally be done, although you will need to speak with an attorney who is licensed to practice in Maine, in nearly all of the states our primary recourse is divorce, although in some states a court will order a couple to attend marriage counselling. Very few, if any, states adhere to a fault-based divorce system nowadays. Nearly all states are “no fault”, meaning the fact that your spouse has committed adultery has little bearing on the outcome of the divorce.
If, on the other hand, you are asking me how you can ‘get back” at him, my advice would be that rather than trying to get back at him, you should seek out a support therapist who can help you to move forward with your life. Ultimately, the only person who is hurt by your carrying around feelings of anger and revenge is you, as long after your spouse has moved on, you will still be carrying around those bad feelings.
Anne