Court Opinion

ID: 9459429
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 21:20:03.616194+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:36:09.369988
License: Public Domain

MUIR, District Judge
(dissenting).
I do not agree with the Court’s analysis that because Delaware stresses certainty in conflicts of laws issues, a Delaware court would apply the law of the marital domicile in an alienation of affections case. In Friday v. Smoot, 211 A.2d 594 (Del.1965), the Supreme Court of Delaware rejected the “most significant contacts” theory represented by Restatement Second, Conflict of Laws, § 145, and adhered to the traditional lex loci delicti conflicts of laws rule. The fact that this decision was based upon a desire for certainty in the application of Delaware's conflicts rule, 211 A.2d at p. 595, does not change the holding “that the substantive rights of parties in a tort action are governed by the law of the place where the tort arose. . . . ” 211 A.2d at p. 595.
An alienation of affections action is essentially a claim for loss of consortium. Sharp v. Hayes, 4 Terry 493, 50 A.2d 412 (Del.Super.1946); Ramsey v. Ramsey, 4 W.W.Harr. 576, 156 A. 354 (Del.Super.Ct.1931); Prettyman v. Williamson, 1 Pennewill 224, 39 A. 731 (Del.Super.Ct.1898). In applying the lex loci delicti rule to a wife’s claim for loss of consortium, the Supreme Court of Delaware applied, not the law of the marital domicile, but the law of the state in which the defendant’s actions upon the husband took place. Folk v. York-Shipley, Inc., 239 A.2d 236 (Del. 1968). In an alienation of affections action, I believe that a Delaware court would interpret the Folk case as requiring application of the law of the state where the Defendant’s alleged wrongful acts upon Plaintiff’s husband occurred. It should be pointed out that every other court operating under the lex loci delicti rule in a multi-jurisdictional alienation of affections action has applied the law of the state where the Defendant’s wrongful acts took place. Albert v. McGrath, 107 U.S.App.D.C. 336, 278 F.2d 16 (1960); Orr v. Sasseman, 239 F.2d 182 (5th Cir. 1956); Marra v. Bushee, 317 F.Supp. 972 (D.Vt.1970), rev’d on other grounds, 447 F.2d 1282 (2d Cir. 1971) (affirming conflict of law holding) .
The exact location of the Defendant’s alluring conduct may be difficult to ascertain. However, it is a proper question for a jury. See Marra v. Bushee, 447 F.2d 1282 (2d Cir. 1971). The difficulty should not bar application of Delaware’s lex loci delicti rule.
I respectfully dissent.