Member Article

Does Being on ‘Ashley Madison’ Constitute Adultery?

Taylor Bracewell’s Alison Kitchman, Partner and Collaborative Family Lawyer, looks behind the Ashley Madison Hack headlines into what constitutes adultery and how you can deal with the situation if you’ve found out your husband/wife was registered on an infidelity website.

Signing up to an infidelity site does not, in itself, amount to adultery but it can spell the beginning of the end of a marriage. Often looking for attention or excitement outside the marriage is a sign that all is not well within the marriage. Communication is key and if the parties are not talking to each other and/or making love to each other, eventually one or both of them may look elsewhere.

Adultery means sexual intercourse with another person whilst still married, whether prior to or following the parties’ separation so the “act” must have taken place to divorce on this basis.

If a spouse signs up to such websites or indulges in chats with third parties by text, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat or any other forms of social media, but does not actually commit the act of adultery, whilst this can feel equally upsetting to their wounded spouse, it can only be used as evidence of conduct giving rise to a divorce on unreasonable behaviour.

It takes 2 to make a marriage work and only one to end it!

If you find yourself in this situation, refer to a relationship counsellor/ personal crisis coach first, either individually or as a couple, to see if this is a symptom of a failing marriage or the cause and whether the marriage can be saved before contemplating the divorce route.

Do you need our help?

If you are in the unfortunate position of contemplating the divorce route, we can help. Alison Kitchman heads up a specialist team of very experienced family law solicitors at Taylor Bracewell. With expert senior collaborative divorce solicitors in Doncaster as well as specialist senior family solicitors in Sheffield, we will provide you with skilful guidance and advice on any aspect of family law.

If you require any advice regarding separation or any other family issue, either in Doncaster or Sheffield, please contact our friendly team on 01302 640391 (Doncaster) / 0114 272 1884 (Sheffield) or email family@taylorbracewell.co.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Taylor Bracewell LLP .