Case Name: Brenda R. SANDERS, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. Brent GORE, Defendant-Appellee
Court: Louisiana Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1996-07-10
Citations: 676 So. 2d 866
Docket Number: No. 95-660
Parties: Brenda R. SANDERS, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. Brent GORE, Defendant-Appellee.
Judges: Before DOUCET, C.J., YELVERTON, KNOLL, COOKS, and SAUNDERS, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 676
Pages: 866–882

Head Matter:
Brenda R. SANDERS, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. Brent GORE, Defendant-Appellee.
No. 95-660.
Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.
July 10, 1996.
Rehearing Denied Sept. 4, 1996.
Robert Elton Arceneaux, Mack E. Bar-ham, New Orleans, Mason L. Oswalt, Ray-ville, Julia C. Symon, New Orleans, for Brenda R. Sanders.
David Paul Doughty, Rayville, for Brent Gore.
Before DOUCET, C.J., YELVERTON, KNOLL, COOKS, and SAUNDERS, JJ.

Opinion:
liKNOLL, Judge.
On September 9, 1994, Brenda Sanders filed suit against Brent Gore, seeking damages for breach of his promise to marry her. On November 4, 1994, Brent Gore filed a peremptory exception of no cause and/or no right of action. The trial court, noting that both parties were married to other persons at the time of the alleged breach, granted defendant's exception. Plaintiff appeals, asserting four assignments of error.
FACTS
The petition of Brenda Sanders alleges the following facts.
In March of 1990, Mrs. Sanders first contacted Mr. Brent Gore, an attorney, concerning a collection matter. Although both Mr. Gore and Mrs. Sanders were |2married to others at the time, a personal relationship soon developed. In May, 1990, the parties began an adulterous affair that continued until December, 1993.
During the course of the affair, Mr. Gore convinced Mrs. Sanders that he wanted to divorce his wife and marry her. He also convinced her to leave her husband, and in May, 1992, Mrs. Sanders obtained a divorce from her husband of twenty-one years. Mr. Gore represented Mrs. Sanders in the divorce, and she alleges that he was able to obtain a divorce judgment even though she and her husband had not lived separate and apart either prior to or subsequent to the divorce.
In June of 1992, the parties took a trip to Hawaii, where they registered for a promotional tour of time-share condos as "Brent and Brenda Gore." On November 12, 1992, Brent Gore presented an engagement ring to Brenda Sanders and formally asked her to marry him. Ms. Sanders accepted the engagement. The affair continued until December 1993, when Mr. Gore told Ms. Sanders that he was "too weak" to leave his wife. Mr. Gore then told Ms. Sanders that he would not marry her and that their relationship was over.
In September of 1994, Ms. Sanders filed suit for damages arising from their liaison, and from Brent Gore's refusal to leave his wife and marry her. In her petition, plaintiff explicitly details the events leading up to the affair, and recounts their numerous indiscretions. The petition also makes several disparaging remarks about Mr. Gore's marriage, which has survived the affair. Ms. Sanders seeks the recovery of $7,300 in gifts given to the defendant over the course of the relationship. She seeks reimbursement for the costs of remodeling her home, which was refurbished in accord with Mr. Gore's tastes, with a view to becoming their matrimonial domicile. Ms. Sanders also seeks damages for loss of reputation and ^social standing, mental anguish, humiliation, embarrassment, pain and suffering, loss of financial and emotional support, and the needless break-up of her marriage.
On September 13,1994, the court issued an order sua sponte, sealing the record and ordering that "[n]o one, party, corporation, person, or legal entity of any nature, regardless of where they are located can publish, distribute, or discuss any of the documents, pleadings or reference to this suit or its contents in any way with anyone pending a hearing on this matter to be heard on the 29th day of September, 1994 at 9:00 o'clock a.m." There were no objections. The record remains sealed to this day.
On November 4, 1994, Brent Gore filed a peremptory exception of no cause and/or no right of action. On November 7,1994, Brenda Sanders filed a motion to recuse all of the judges in the Seventh Judicial District Court, including the Honorable Leo Boothe. On November 17, 1994, Brenda Sanders filed a First Supplemental and Amending Petition in which she added a claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress, and a request for a jury trial. The judge returned this amended petition unsigned.
On January 25, 1995, the trial court heard argument on the defendant's peremptory exception and plaintiffs request for a jury trial. The trial court granted the defendant's exception of no cause and/or no right of action, denied the plaintiffs request for a jury trial and motion to amend, and ordered the attorney for the plaintiff, Mr. Mason Oswalt, to show cause why he should not be sanctioned for "scandalous" language in the petition, and for filing a meritless suit. On February 16, 1995, the judge imposed a sanction of $1,000 and ordered Mr. Oswalt to write a letter of apology to the defendant's wife. Ms. Sanders attempts to appeal Mr. Oswalt's sanctions.
|4With added new appeal counsel, Ms. Sanders filed this appeal, and briefs the following assignments of error: 1) The lower court erred in holding that Ms. Sanders stated no cause and/or no right of action against Mr. Gore for breaching his promise to marry her; 2) The lower court erred in denying Ms. Sanders' motion to amend her petition and request for a jury trial; 3) the lower court erred in placing a "gag order" and a "seal" on the record below; and 4) the lower court erred in sanctioning Ms. Sanders' trial attorney for filing his client's verified petition. For the following reasons, we affirm.
PEREMPTORY EXCEPTION TO BREACH OF A PROMISE TO MARRY
The trial court granted Mr. Gore's exception of no cause and/or no right of action. The trial court did not specify whether it granted the exception of no cause of action or the exception of no right of action. These exceptions are distinguishable, and each serves a particular purpose. Although Mr. Gore did not employ the correct terminology in styling this exception, and although such loose pleading is not to be condoned or encouraged, we shall treat the pleading as urging both exceptions. Robinson v. North American Royalties, Inc., 463 So.2d 1384 (La.App. 3 Cir.), judgment amended on other grounds 470 So.2d 112 (La.1985).
The exception of no right of action tests whether the plaintiff has an interest in enforcing or capacity to bring the action. The exception of no cause of action tests whether the law affords a remedy on the facts alleged in the pleading. Only the latter exception is applicable to the case sub judice.
In the recent case of Everything on Wheels Subaru, Inc. v. Subaru South, Inc., 616 So.2d 1234 (La.1993), the Louisiana Supreme Court summarized the relevant jurisprudence with regard to the exception of no cause of action:
The function of an exception of no cause of action is to test the legal sufficiency of the petition by determining whether the law |6affords a remedy on the facts alleged in the pleading. Darville v. Texaco, Inc., 447 So.2d 473 (La.1984). No evidence may be introduced to support or controvert the objection that the petition fails to state a cause of action. La.Code Civ.Proe. art. 931. Therefore, the court reviews the petition and accepts well pleaded allegations of fact as true, and the issue at the trial of the exception is whether, on the face of the petition, the plaintiff is legally entitled to the relief sought. Hero Lands Co. v. Texaco, Inc., 310 So.2d 93 (La.1975); Kuebler v. Martin, 578 So.2d 113 (La.1991).
Everything on Wheels, supra at 1235.
Ms. Sanders' petition is styled as a breach of a promise to marry. Mr. Gore asserts that the fact that the parties were married at the time of the promise operates as a bar to Ms. Sanders' recovery under the contract.
There is little dispute that Louisiana recognizes an action in contract for breach of a promise to marry. See Glass v. Wiltz, 551 So.2d 32 (La.App. 4 Cir.), writ denied, 552 So.2d 400 (La.1989) and cases cited therein. The action, as recognized in Louisiana, is of a contractual nature. Morgan v. Yarborough, 5 La.Ann. 316 (1850); Smith v. Braun, 37 La.Ann. 225 (1885). It is also not disputed that the nature of the contract to marry may in certain situations give rise to nonpecuniary damages for its breach under La.Civ.Code art. 1998. Nevertheless, whether the fact that the parties were married at the time the promise is made operates to nullify the contract is a res nova issue in Louisiana.
We initially note that La.Civ.Code art. 88 specifically provides that a "married person may not contract another marriage." Ms. Sanders argues that this provision is only intended to prevent actual bigamous contracts of marriage, and that a contrario sen-su, it does not apply to "contracts to contract" a marriage. Although we have no doubt as to the policy considerations behind Article 88, we will assume, arguendo, that it does not prohibit contracts to marry as opposed to contracts of marriage.
IsA brief discussion of the history of the obligation arising from a promise to marry is in order. Ms. Sanders references the ancient Roman tradition of sponsatia [sic] as evidence of the Roman heritage of the action for breach of the promise to marry. Our research indicates that although the sponsa-lia is in fact the ancient origin of the action recognized in Louisiana, the action for breach of the sponsalia disappeared early in history, and in the classical law, betrothals were no longer obligatory in the civil sense. According to Planiol, the promise to marry could produce no effect, nor did it create any obligation. What remedy there was available under civilian doctrine was to be found under the article which stated "every illicit act whatever of man, that causes damage to another, obliges him by whose fault it happens, to repair it."
As stated by Dr. Harriet S. Daggett, a recognized eminent scholar, the contractual action for breach of a promise of marriage is absent not only in the civil law of France but in all civil law countries. Furthermore, the action, as recognized in Louisiana, has its roots not in the civil law tradition, but in the common law as developed in England in the early 17th century. We therefore find a survey of the common law in this area, although not controlling, relevant to a thorough discussion of the issue.
The contractual nature of the promise of marriage is recognized in the common law. Also recognized, however, is the rule that agreements in derogation of marriage are against public policy. The promise made by Mr. Gore was not merely that he would marry Ms. Sanders, but that he would divorce his wife and marry Ms. Sanders. |7The dissolution of Mr. Gore's current marriage was a necessary antecedent to him marrying Mrs. Sanders. See La.Civ.Code art. 88.
It is for the foregoing reasons that the common law has universally recognized that promises of marriage, when made by persons already married, are unenforceable. The only exception to this rule arises when one of the parties successfully conceals his or her current marriage from an innocent party. As stated in Corbin on Contracts:
§ 1475. Engagements to Marry by One Already Married — Marriage Brokerage
It is contrary to public policy and illegal for one who has a living spouse to make an engagement to marry another. Such an agreement is not saved by the fact that the parties to the first marriage are separated and that the new agreement is made expressly conditional on procuring a divorce. A party to such an engagement as this can maintain no action for breach of the promise, even after the divorce has been granted and performance would be lawful.
Corbin on Contracts, § 1475 at p. 619.
The issue is also addressed by 17 C.J.S. § 235, which states:
[A]s a general rule, if the object of, or consideration for, a contract is the divorce of a man and wife, or the facilitation of that result, the agreement is against public policy and void, regardless of whether the contract is supported by other and valid considerations. Under the rule, if a contract tends to facilitate the dissolution of a marriage it is void even though it was not made primarily for that purpose, and even though the contract is by or with a stranger to the marriage relationship.
Contracts so framed as to have effect only on condition that a divorce between the parties should be granted are generally held illegal, since their object is to interest the party to be benefitted in procuring or permitting a divorce. Thus, a promise to marry made by a man or woman already married, to take effect when he or she has obtained a divorce from his or her present spouse, is illegal and void.
17 C.J.S. § 235, pp. 1094-1097.
^Nevertheless, the recognition that contracts in derogation of marriage are void is not confined to the common law. In the volume on obligations in their Cours de Droit Civil Frcmcais, Aubry and Rau state that:
In addition to agreements in which the object of the performance promised by one of the parties is an unlawful act and thus the cause itself becomes illegal with regard to the other party, several other agreements may be mentioned whose cause is illegal: . promises to dissolve a marriage, .
Aubry & Rau, Droit Civil Francais, Vol. IV, Obligations, § 345, English Translation by the Louisiana State Law Institute, pp. 338-339.
In her brief on this issue, Ms. Sanders argues that "the original common law rationale for Mr. Gore's defense has been undercut by modern views of the state's interest (or lack thereof) in promoting the continued existence of marriage, as reflected by its continued lessening of the burdens of obtaining a divorce." She further states that "[tjhere is no longer a public policy, if indeed there ever was one, of preventing couples from divorcing." These statements are sorely misplaced. We find even more bizarre her assertion that "[i]n actuality, statistically, and as a matter of fact, promises of married persons to many others — even other married persons — is almost as prevalent as, if not more prevalent than, the promise of a single person." While we recognize that divorce is now easier to obtain legally, we also recognize that the institution of marriage is still guarded by public policy provisions.
The State of Louisiana has long recognized the importance to society of the institution of marriage. The family is recognized as the fundamental unit of society. The state, therefore, encourages couples to marry and discourages their divorce. In Succession of Butler, 294 So.2d 512 (La.1974) the Louisiana Supreme Court stated:
The law's attitude toward the marriage relation has been stated as follows: "public policy, good morals, the highest interest of society require that the marriage relations should be surrounded with every safeguard and their severance allowed only for the 1 ;)Causes specified by the law, and clearly proven." Halls v. Cartwright, 18 La.Ann. 414 (1866). See also Barringer v. Dauernheim, 127 La. 679, 53 So. 923 (1911). The Civil Code declares that "individuals cannot by their conventions derogate from the force of laws made for the preservation of public order or good morals." La.Civil Code art. 11. See also La.Civil Code art. 1758(1), 1892. In keeping with this policy of the law, every attempt should be made to reconcile estranged couples. Meyer v. Howard, 136 So.2d 805 (La.App.1962). Though stated more than a century ago, the policy remains fundamentally unchanged.
Butler, supra at 514. See also McMahon v. Hardin, 10 La.App. 416, 121 So. 678 (Orl.Cir.1929).
The marriage contract affects not only the parties involved, but also their posterity and the good order of society. Marriage is therefore subject to legislative control, independent of the will of the parties. Rhodes v. Miller, 189 La. 288, 179 So. 430 (La.1938). See also, La.Civ.Code art. 86, comment (c). Under Louisiana Civil Code article 98, married persons owe each other fidelity, support, and assistance. The spouses' duties under this article are matters of public order from which they may not derogate by contract. Holliday v. Holliday, 358 So.2d 618 (La.1978); La.Civ.Code art. 98, comment (e). The obligations under Article 98 are not merely owed by spouses to each other, but, because they are elements of public order, are owed to society as a whole.
The case sub judice involves not a simple promise to marry, but a promise to dissolve a marriage and marry another. In fact, this lawsuit was triggered by Mr. Gore's statement that he was "too weak" to leave his wife. Therefore, a primary cause of the contract was the dissolution of Mr. Gore's marriage. This cause was definitely known to Ms. Sanders. The contract sought to be enforced in the case sub judice is in direct opposition to Mr. Gore's obligations under La.Civ.Code art. 98.
_[ipOur survey of the law on this issue reveals no jurisprudence or commentary which supports the enforcement of a contract of marriage between persons already married. To the contrary, the jurisprudence of our sister states, the commentary of civilian jurists, Louisiana jurisprudence, and the Louisiana Civil Code support the statement that contracts in derogation of marriage are against public policy. We therefore affirm that the promise to marry by persons already married is unenforceable as against public policy.
La.Civ.Code art. 2030 states:
A contract is absolutely null when it violates a rule of public order, as when the object of a contract is illicit or immoral. A contract that is absolutely null may not be confirmed.
Absolutely null contracts are void ab initio, and are treated as if they never existed. Absolute nullity can be raised as a defense even by a party who knew of the defect that makes the contract null. Under the doctrine of nemo propriam turpitudinem allegare potest (no one may invoke his own turpitude), performance rendered under an absolutely null contract may not be recovered by a party who either knew or should have known of the defect that makes the contract null. La.Civ.Code art. 2033. The doctrine was eloquently applied in Boatner v. Yarborough, 12 La.Ann. 249 (1857):
But judicial tribunals should not be called upon to adjust the balance of profit and loss between joint adventures in iniquity.... The law, whose mission is to right the innocent and to enforce the performance of licit obligations only, leaves parties who traffic in forbidden things and then break faith with [each] other to such mutual redress as their own standard of honor may award.
Boatner v. Yarborough, 12 La.Ann. 249 (1857).
This court recognizes that the exception of no cause of action should be sustained only if it is clearly shown that the law affords no remedy for the grievances alleged, under the circumstances alleged, under any theory of the case. Crumling v. Crumling, 628 So.2d 1194 (La.App. 3 Cir.1993). In brief, Ms. Sanders asserts that several theories of recovery, independent of the breach of the promise to marry, apply to the facts alleged in the petition. Although she asserts claims in fraud, detrimental reliance, and abuse of the attorney/client relationship, these causes of action are simply restatements of her action for breach of the marriage promise.
Ms. Sanders asserts that through artifice and fraudulent misrepresentation, Mr. Gore was able to convince her to divorce her husband, renovate her house, and give him expensive gifts. She argues as fraud the fact that he never really intended to leave his wife, and asserts arguments of detrimental reliance. Significantly, however, Mr. Gore never misrepresented to Ms. Sanders that he was married. La.Civ.Code art. 1966 applies to claims of both contract and detrimental reliance and provides that "[a]n obligation cannot exist without a lawful cause." Therefore, an obligation, whether it results from a contract or from detrimental reliance, must have lawful cause. We have already held that the underlying cause for Mr. Gore's promise is against public policy. We also hold that for the same reasons, Ms. Sanders' reliance on that promise is not justified. We therefore find no merit in Ms. Sanders' claim of fraudulently induced detrimental reliance.
Ms. Sanders also alleges an abuse of the attorney/client relationship. Although this court finds Mr. Gore's actions ethically reprehensible, Louisiana law does not prohibit sexual relationships between attorneys and their clients. Also, although Ms. Sanders alleges a conflict of interest in his handling of her divorce, she does not allege that Mr. Gore faded to adequately represent her. Nor is it alleged that Ms. Sanders was unaware of this conflict of interest. In fact, Ms. Sanders specifically alleges in her petition that Mr. Gore told her the reason he wanted her to file for divorce was so that he could marry her. Furthermore, Ms. Sanders does not allege | i2that Mr. Gore's handling of her legal affairs caused her any injury that was independent of her claim for breach of the promise to marry.
For the above reasons, we find that Ms. Sanders faded to state a claim for which the law affords a remedy. Based on Ms. Sanders' allegations, she voluntarily engaged in an illicit affair with a married man who refused to divorce his wife and marry her, and now requests that a court of law award her legal damages for her illicit conduct. Ms. Sanders' position is untenable in law and against public policy. There is no place in the law for romantic fiction for a scorned mistress' adulterous conduct. The law abhors such conduct that defiles a marriage. No matter how the action is styled, the nucleus of operative fact is the same, and the law recognizes no cause of action arising from those facts. The defendant's exception of no cause of action is accordingly affirmed.
Ms. Sanders asserts that she should be allowed to amend her petition in order to assert facts necessary to state a cause of action. Generally, parties are allowed to amend when there is a possibility that a cause of action might be stated; however, the right to amend is not so absolute as to permit the same when such amendment would constitute a vain and useless act. Ustica Enterprises, Inc. v. Costello, 434 So.2d 137 (La.App. 5 Cir.1983). We find that after reading the briefs and hearing the arguments of counsel on this issue, no additional fact could be asserted that would establish a cause of action against appellee.
DENIAL OF MOTION TO AMEND
On November 18, 1994, Ms. Sanders filed a First Supplemental and Amending Petition and a request for a jury trial. In this supplemental petition, Ms. Sanders did | ignot make any new factual allegations, but merely added allegations of negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress as causes of action. Mr. Gore opposed the amendment of the petition as an attempt to avoid the ten day limit for requesting a jury trial under La.Code Civ.P. art. 1733. The court denied the motion to amend and request for a jury trial. Ms. Sanders assigns as error the trial court's refusal to allow her to amend her petition, and the court's denial of a jury trial.
La.Code Civ.P. art. 1151 allows a plaintiff to amend her petition without leave of court before the answer thereto is served. Nevertheless, the trial court has discretion to disallow amendments to petitions that make no new allegations of fact and are filed solely to circumvent the ten day limit to request a jury trial. Juneau v. Humana, Inc., 95-267 (La.App. 3 Cir. 5/31/95); 657 So.2d 457. Ms. Sanders' amending petition contained no new allegations of fact, and we find that the trial court was within its discretion to disallow the amendment as an attempt to circumvent the rule of La.Code Civ.P. art. 1733. For the same reason, the trial court was correct in denying Ms. Sanders' untimely request for a jury trial.
SEALING THE RECORD
Because of the extremely personal and destructive nature of the allegations of the petition, and the potential for damage to the families and reputations of the parties, who lived in a small rural community, the trial court ordered the record sealed and placed a "gag order" on the parties. At the outset, we note the paradoxical nature of Ms. Sanders' request on appeal to have the contents of the record in this case open to the public. As stated by Professor Harriet Dag-gett in her essay on the breach of the marriage promise:
The charges of shock, wounded pride, etc., in the case of a plaintiff who didn't need to discuss the seduction phase of the case at all, except for the extra fee that might be in it, seem the height of absurdity. Humiliation, wounded pride and the like are | i4aIso hard to reconcile with a tempera ment who will come into court to claim 'money damages therefor and recount in the most "telling" manner intimate things which could never have been known but for her own public testimony.
Daggett, Legal Essays on Family Law, The Action for Breach of the Marriage Promise, p. 84.
On September 13, 1994, the trial judge ordered the record sealed and placed a gag order on the parties, pending a hearing to be held on September 29, 1994. This hearing was continued and never refixed. Therefore the merits of the issuance of this order have never been addressed in the court below.
La.Code Civ.P. art. 1631 provides the trial court with the power "to require that the proceedings shall be conducted with dignity and in an orderly and expeditious manner, and to control the proceedings at the trial, so that justice is done." Furthermore, under La.Code CivJP. art. 191, the trial court possesses inherently all of the power necessary for the exercise of its jurisdiction even though not expressly granted by law. This power certainly extends to issuance of protective orders to assure the fair administration of justice under proper circumstances. Economy Carpets Mfrs. & Dist., Inc. v. Better Bus. Bur. Etc, 319 So.2d 783 (La.1975).
The trial court correctly recognized that the dubious chances of recovery based on the petition filed by Ms. Sanders were greatly outweighed by the potential the petition raised for outrageous gossip and scandal. We find the trial court did not exceed its authority in issuing the order complained of, especially since it ordered a hearing on the issue to take place soon thereafter. Matherne v. Hannan, 534 So.2d 991 (La.App. 4 Cir.1988), writ denied 537 So.2d 1169 (La.1989). Ms. Sanders chose not to avail herself of the hearing at the trial level. Accordingly, the order of the trial court is affirmed.
SANCTION
[ isThe petition filed by Ms. Sanders contained numerous "scandalous" statements, which were not particularly relevant to the disposition of the case. Specifically, the petition included unnecessary comments about Mr. Gore's family and his sexual relationship with his wife. These statements reveal the extremely vindictive nature of the petition filed. After a hearing on the issue, the trial court sanctioned Mr. Mason Oswalt, Ms. Sanders' attorney, in the amount of $1,000. Mr. Oswalt was also ordered to write a letter of apology to Mr. Gore's wife. Ms. Sanders appeals the sanction.
We note that it is Ms. Sanders, rather than Mr. Oswalt, who raises the issue of the sanctions on appeal. In a letter from Mr. Oswalt to Judge Leo Boothe, filed into the record in the case sub judice, Mr. Oswalt specifically states that he does not wish to appeal the sanctions: -
A meeting was held with Judge Booth [sic] and which time Judge Booth indicated that he would be willing to stipulate to the sanctions. The stipulations were that I would be sanctioned $1000.00 and be required to provide a written apology to Mrs. Jo Lynn Gore for the wording of the initial pleadings. It was also agreed that I would not appeal these sanctions on my behalf and that this would resolve this matter.
I continue to disagree with the court's decision to impose sanctions on me as attorney for Mrs. Sanders, however I gave Judge Booth my assurance that I would not appeal the sanctions on my behalf and I will abide by my honor. Judge Barham has filed an appeal of the sanctions on behalf of Mrs. Sanders and if my authorization is necessary to appeal this decision on behalf of my client, please consider this correspondence as signed authorization for that appeal and have this letter filed in the record. (Emphasis Added).
Regarding Ms. Sanders' ability to appeal the sanctions imposed upon Mr. Oswalt, we note that La.Code Civ.P. art. 2086 provides for third party appeals only 116when the third party could have intervened in the trial court. La.Code Civ.P. art. 1091 defines the terms upon which intervention is allowed:
A third person having an interest therein may intervene in a pending action to enforce a right related to or connected with the object of the pending action against one or more of the parties thereto by:
1) Joining with plaintiff in demanding the same or similar relief against the defendant;
2) Uniting with defendant in resisting the plaintiffs demand; or
3) Opposing both plaintiff and defendant.
We find that Ms. Sanders has no interest in the sanctions imposed on Mr. Oswalt in his capacity as an officer of the court, and that she has no right to appeal the judge's decision. The right to appeal the sanctions is personal to Mr. Oswalt and to no other. As an officer of the court, Mr. Oswalt had a duty to conduct himself at all times with decorum, and in a manner consistent with the dignity and authority of the court and the role which he himself should play in the administration of justice. Furthermore, Mr. Oswalt had the duty to treat the court, the opposing counsel, and the opposing party with due respect. La.Code Civ.P. art. 371. It is for breach of this duty that the court imposed the sanctions. As an officer of the court, Mr. Oswalt should have known the consequences of the insertion of needless, spiteful, and inflammatory allegations in the meritless petition he submitted. It is for this breach of professional conduct that Mr. Os-walt was sanctioned, and we find, therefore, that Ms. Sanders has no interest in the matter. This assignment of error is without merit as it is improperly before this court.
We also note the provisions of La.Code Civ.P. art. 2085, which provides:
An appeal cannot be taken by a party who confessed judgment in the proceedings in the trial court or who voluntarily and unconditionally acquiesced in a judgment rendered against him.
| 17There is no question that Mr. Oswalt voluntarily and unconditionally acquiesced in the judgment rendered against him. His letter, filed in the record, reflects that the sanctions were stipulated to, and that although he disagreed with their imposition, he would not contest them on appeal. Mr. Os-walt fully complied with the stipulation. We find that this assignment of error is improperly before this court.
Nevertheless, assuming arguendo, that the issue of sanctions was properly before this court on appeal, we find that the trial court was well within its authority in levying sanctions based on the egregious language of the petition filed by Mr. Oswalt, a petition which states no cause of action in law.
According to La.Code Civ.P. art. 863, pleadings are not to be interposed for any improper purpose, such as to harass. Attorneys signing such pleadings may be sanctioned in a manner the court deems appropriate, including the assessment of fees and penalties. Furthermore, La.Code Civ.P. art. 864 provides that for the insertion of scandalous or indecent matter in a pleading, an attorney may be subjected to appropriate disciplinary action. We find that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in ordering sanctions and a letter of apology.
CONCLUSION
We hold that the institution of marriage demands full respect from the law, therefore, as a matter of public policy, agreements to marry by persons already married are absolutely null. The judgment of the trial court is affirmed. All costs of this appeal are assessed to plaintiff-appellant.
AFFIRMED.
DOUCET, C.J., concurs in the result.
YELVERTON, J., concurs in part and dissents in part and assigns written reasons.
COOKS, J., dissents and assigns written reasons.
. See Planiol, Traite Elementaire de Droit Civil, English Translation by the Louisiana State Law Institute, § 781 et seq., p. 454 (1959).
. See H.S. Daggett, Legal Essays on Family Law, The Action for Breach of the Marriage Promise 39-100 (1935).
. La.Civ.Code art. 161, as it existed in 1938, prohibited divorced persons from marrying their accomplices in adultery under penalty of nullity of Ae new marriage. This nullity was enforced in Rhodes v. Miller, supra.