CRIM 406 Lecture 4: CRIM 406 week 4 class notes

• School: George Mason University
• Department: Criminology
• Course: CRIM 406
• Professor: Ashworth

Document Summary

Week 4 courtship and ways to strengthen marriage notes. Virginia previously recognized suits for breach of a promise to marry or improper breach of an engagement. The judge or jury could take into consideration all the circumstances of the case including: loss of comfort, Injury to the feelings, affections, and wounded pride of the plaintiff. The plaintiff could seek: (cid:862)e(cid:454)pe(cid:272)tatio(cid:374) da(cid:373)ages to pla(cid:272)e [hi(cid:373) or] her i(cid:374) the fi(cid:374)a(cid:374)(cid:272)ial a(cid:374)d social position. By the late nineteenth century, trials had become entertainment for the entire town and fodder for sensationalistic tabloid media. O(cid:448)er ti(cid:373)e, su(cid:272)h a(cid:272)tio(cid:374)s (cid:449)ere se(cid:448)erel(cid:455) (cid:862)(cid:272)riti(cid:272)ized as (cid:271)ei(cid:374)g a(cid:374)a(cid:272)hro(cid:374)isti(cid:272), (cid:272)o(cid:374)trar(cid:455) to (cid:373)oder(cid:374) (cid:374)otio(cid:374)s of justi(cid:272)e, a(cid:374)d su(cid:271)je(cid:272)t to a(cid:271)use (cid:271)(cid:455) (cid:271)la(cid:272)k(cid:373)ail. (cid:863) In response, beginning in the 1930s, states (cid:271)ega(cid:374) to e(cid:374)a(cid:272)t (cid:858)heart (cid:271)al(cid:373)(cid:859) statutes that abolished the related common law actions for alienation of affections, criminal conversation, and seduction as well.