Opinion ID: 1855355
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: whether adultery must be causally related to the separation

Text: ¶ 14. The chancellor in this case, citing cases involving habitual cruel and inhuman treatment, denied Mr. Talbert's claim for divorce on the grounds of adultery because the actual adulterous act occurred after the separation of the parties. In authorizing a divorce on grounds of adultery, the Legislature has not required that the adultery cause a separation. See Miss.Code Ann. § 93-5-1 (1994). Indeed, [i]t shall be no impediment to a divorce that the offended spouse did not leave the marital domicile or separate from the offending spouse on account of the conduct of the offending spouse. Id. § 93-5-4. ¶ 15. We have never explicitly stated that the adultery should be causally related to the final separation of the parties to be a valid basis for granting a divorce. In fact, in McKee v. Flynt, 630 So.2d 44 (Miss.1993), we said that the causal relationship is not necessarily required even in cases of cruel and inhuman treatment: There must exist some causal connection between the habitual cruel and inhuman treatment and the parties' separation. Fournet v. Fournet, 481 So.2d 326, 329 (Miss.1985). However, application of this rule was limited by Bias v. Bias, 493 So.2d 342, 345 (Miss.1986). Absence of proof of proximate cause does not in logic negate the reality of habitual cruel and inhuman treatment, which may indeed have been a proximate cause of harm to the health and physical well being of the plaintiff (as distinguished from the actual cause of the separation). The chancellor's primary inquiry must in justice be into the ground for divorce. That inquiry requires a dual focus: upon the conduct of the offending spouse and the impact of that conduct upon the plaintiff. If the requisite impact upon plaintiff is proved, there is little reason why we should arbitrarily dismiss because of the proximate cause of separation rule which no legislature has mandated. Bias, 493 So.2d at 345. See also Faries v. Faries, 607 So.2d 1204, 1209 (Miss. 1992). Bias further holds that acts occurring after the parties have separated may be considered in the charge of habitual cruel and inhuman treatment. Bias, 493 So.2d at 345. McKee, 630 So.2d at 48 (emphasis added). ¶ 16. We find it judicially unsound to apply law governing divorce upon grounds of habitual cruel and inhuman treatment to an issue of adultery, because of the nature of these very different grounds for divorce. A single act of cruelty is usually insufficient to sustain a divorce, while a single act of uncondoned adultery is sufficient. However, even the case law applicable to divorce upon grounds of habitual cruel and inhuman treatment indicates that the offending conduct need not be causally related to the separation. Nothing in our jurisprudence requires that a ground for divorce, such as adultery, arise before separation. As stated in the Court of Appeals's dissent, Mr. Talbert did not seek a divorce until he became aware of Mrs. Talbert's adultery. As a result, even if we were to adopt a rule requiring a causal connection between the adultery and the separation, that requirement would be satisfied in this case. The trial court erred in rejecting Mr. Talbert's evidence of Mrs. Talbert's adultery. The chancellor should have considered all valid grounds for divorce raised by the parties in this case.