Opinion ID: 1826405
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: whether the chancellor erred in granting peggy arthur a divorce on the grounds of adultery.

Text: Jerry Arthur argues that the evidence at trial did not rise above mere suspicion of adultery, and thus the chancellor erred in granting Peggy Arthur a divorce on those grounds. The grounds of adultery may be proven by clear and convincing evidence of: (1) an infatuation for a particular person of the opposite sex; and (2) a reasonable opportunity to satisfy that infatuation. McAdory v. McAdory, 608 So.2d 695, 699-700 (Miss. 1992), appeal after remand, 628 So.2d 1388 (Miss. 1993). This Court will not overturn the decision of a chancellor in domestic cases when those findings are supported by substantial evidence unless the chancellor abused his discretion, was manifestly wrong or applied an erroneous legal standard. Kennedy v. Kennedy, 650 So.2d 1362, 1366 (Miss. 1995); Crow v. Crow, 622 So.2d 1226, 1228 (Miss. 1993). In the case sub judice, there was evidence that Jerry Arthur telephoned Diane Sharpe several times per week, and that Jerry admitted to his wife that he had feelings for Diane. Peggy testified that despite her repeated pleadings with Jerry to leave Diane alone, Jerry continued to communicate with Diane. Also, Jerry admitted that he spent the night with Diane on at least two occasions, and there was testimony by a private investigator to that effect as well. Thus, there was evidence at trial both of Jerry's infatuation with Diane Sharpe and of his reasonable opportunity to satisfy that infatuation. There having been substantial evidence supporting the chancellor's finding of adultery, we hold that the chancellor did not err in granting Peggy Arthur a divorce on the grounds of adultery.