Earlier this year, Lysa TerKeurst, founder of North Carolina-based Proverbs 31 ministries, announced she was filing for divorce from her husband of 30 years. According to Christian Headlines, a Christian digital news outlet, recent court filings revealed that Lysa TerKeurst’s husband spent over $100,000 on an extramarital affair he had with a woman he met on SugarDaddy.com.
Reportedly, TerKeurst’s husband, Art, spent much of the $100,000 to pay for the woman to move from Atlanta, Georgia to Charlotte, North Carolina, which was closer to where Art TerKeurst lived at the time. In addition, he used some of the money to buy the woman a pre-engagement ring. Despite the affair, Art is seeking spousal support.
According to the report, Lysa and Art signed a postnuptial agreement, which outlines the terms of their divorce, including alimony and property division. However, Art is claiming that he signed the agreement while he was battling alcohol addiction and suicidal thoughts. In addition, Art claims that he signed the document under duress and that the terms of the postnuptial agreement were invalidated after he completed treatment for alcohol addiction.
Lysa has refuted her husband’s claims, and she claims that his alimony request should be denied because of his affair.
How Adultery Impacts Divorce in North Carolina
Adultery can have an enormous impact on divorce in North Carolina. In North Carolina, the ways that adultery can affect divorce include the following:
- Alimony – Courts in North Carolina consider adultery when deciding whether to award alimony and how much alimony to award.
- Division of Property – If a spouse’s affair impacted a couple’s finances, courts in North Carolina may consider the financial impact that the affair had on the marriage when dividing assets and property between the spouses. For example, if a spouse spent marital assets on expensive trips and gifts for a person they were having an affair with, then the court will likely take that into consideration when making division of property decisions.
- Child Custody – In North Carolina, courts will consider marital infidelity when making child custody decisions.
- Alienation of Affection – In North Carolina, a person can file a lawsuit against an individual they believe caused them to lose the affection of their spouse. This type of suit is known as an alienation of affection lawsuit.
- Criminal Conversation – This is like an alienation of affection lawsuit. In North Carolina, a criminal conversation lawsuit involves a person suing an individual who had sexual intercourse with their spouse while they were still married.
Discuss Your Situation with Our Experienced Divorce Attorneys Today
Divorce is one of the hardest things that a person can go through, especially if infidelity is involved. At Rech Law, P.C., our experienced family law attorneys have been helping clients with divorces involving adultery for years. Let us carry the burden of managing the legal process associated with your divorce, so that you can concentrate on healing and getting ready for the next chapter of your life.
Our top priority is protecting our clients and their interests, helping them finalize their divorce quickly, and securing the best possible outcome for them, so that they have the resources necessary to make a fresh start.
Check out our client testimonials page to learn more about Rech Law, P.C. and how we can help you with divorce, alienation of affection & criminal conversation, and other family law related issues.
To schedule a confidential consultation with our experienced divorce lawyers, give us a call at (704) 659-0007 or contact us online today.