Overlawyered: Chronicling The High Cost Of Our Legal System

Alienation of John Edwards’ affections?

Per ABC News, Andrew Young says that Elizabeth Edwards has threatened him with a lawsuit under North Carolina’s law permitting lawsuits against third parties — not limited to paramours — who helped break up a marriage. We’ve been covering the workings of this law for years at Overlawyered, and Ted may have been the first to spot its possible application to the Sen. Edwards squalor-ama. Much more at Death by 1000 Papercuts. (Rewritten somewhat for clarity 1 p.m. Eastern; & welcome Mickey Kaus readers)

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9 Comments

  • I am an advocate for less overlawyering, but I would love to see Elizabeth Edwards prevail against the astonishingly despicable Andrew Young.

  • I am an advocate for Elizabeth Edwards cleaning her hubby’s clock. OK I suppose you can throw in Andrew Young too. And why isn’t Rielle Hunter subject to the same abuse asYoung has gotten? She’s “the other woman.” Maybe people feel sorry for her because she is a dog in the looks dep’t. But no matter how how you slice it, it boils down to the fact that John Edwards couldn’t keep his fly zipped. And I’d bet the ranch that Hunter isn’t the first garden implement with whom Edwards has had a dalliance.

  • “Astonishingly despicable” depends upon your point-of-view.

    I am an advocate for John and Elizabeth Edwards getting exactly what they both deserve from the Youngs (a couple they used and abused and threw away like so much trash):

    Nothing.

    I am also an advocate for John getting exactly what he deserves from the Feds (who have a copy of the tape in question, so I’m not sure what the point of this lawsuit is):

    A jail cell.

  • What did Andrew Young do wrong here, aside from taking the aphorism of bros before hoes way beyond where most guy friends would bail? Didn’t his cover-up actually forestall the breakup of the marriage? Elizabeth Edwards seems to be suffering from some misdirected anger here.

  • Um, by doing what?

    Tell the world Edwards was screwing around? protected by the first amendment?

    By covering up Edwards screwing around? seems it did more to help than hurt.

    but then what should we expect. John edwards will probably represent her, channel the mind of the lovechild and walk away with millions.

    • By A.W.

  • […] Walter Olson at Overlawyered has some stuff about that law you’re trying to use to get Andrew Young. Of course, I’m sure you know […]

  • […] Kaus Files: I say we let Elizabeth Edwards sue Andrew Young for “alienation of affections” when we let Warren Buffett sue both Edwardses for obtaining campaign contributions under massively […]

  • […] Edwards is demanding Young stop speaking about the Edwards’ marriage as he promotes his book, and that he make a major charitable donation. More from Overlawyered. […]

  • […] say we let Elizabeth Edwards sue Andrew Young for "alienation of affections" when we let Warren Buffett sue both Edwardses** for obtaining campaign contributions under […]