New York Law

Article 8 - NY Civil Rights Law

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• Civil Rights Law ›
• Article 8 ›
• Sections 80A - 84

  S 80-a.  Causes  of  action  for  alienation  of affections, criminal
  conversation, seduction and breach of contract to marry  abolished.  The
  rights  of  action to recover sums of money as damages for alienation of
  affections, criminal conversation, seduction, or breach of  contract  to
  marry are abolished. No act done within this state shall operate to give
  rise,  either within or without this state, to any such right of action.
  No contract to marry made or entered into in this state shall operate to
  give rise, either within or without this state, to any cause or right of
  action for its breach.

  S 80-b.  Nothing in this article contained shall be construed to bar a
  right of action for the recovery of a chattel, the return  of  money  or
  securities,  or  the  value thereof at the time of such transfer, or the
  rescission of a deed to real property when the  sole  consideration  for
  the  transfer of the chattel, money or securities or real property was a
  contemplated marriage which has not occurred, and the court may,  if  in
  its  discretion justice so requires, (1) award the defendant a lien upon
  the  chattel,  securities  or  real  property  for  monies  expended  in
  connection therewith or improvements made thereto, (2) deny judgment for
  the  recovery of the chattel or securities or for rescission of the deed
  and award money damages in lieu thereof.

  S 81. Commencement or threat of action unlawful. It shall be unlawful
  for any person, either as a party or attorney, or in behalf  of  either,
  to  file,  serve  or  cause  to be filed or served, or threaten to file,
  serve or cause to be filed or served, any process or  pleading,  in  any
  court  of  the state, setting forth or seeking to recover a sum of money
  upon any cause of action abolished by this article, whether  such  cause
  of action arose within or without the state.

  S 82. Causing  payment,  satisfaction,  settlement  or  compromise
  unlawful; instruments void. Any contract or  instrument  executed  after
  March  twenty-ninth,  nineteen hundred thirty-five, within this state in
  payment, satisfaction, settlement or compromise of any claim or cause of
  action abolished by this article, whether such claim or cause of  action
  arose  within or without this state, is contrary to the public policy of
  this state and absolutely void. It shall be unlawful to cause, induce or
  procure any person to execute such  a  contract  or  instrument;  or  to
  receive, take or accept any money or thing of value, or cause, induce or
  procure  any person to give, pay, transfer or deliver any money or thing
  of value, in payment, satisfaction, settlement or compromise of any such
  claim or cause of action. It shall be unlawful to commence or  cause  to
  be  commenced,  either  as party or attorney, or in behalf of either, in
  any court of this state, any proceeding or action seeking to enforce  or
  recover  upon  any  such  contract or instrument, knowing it to be such,
  whether it was executed within or without this state.

  S 83. Penalties. Any person who violates any of the provisions of this
  article  shall be guilty of a felony which shall be punishable by a fine
  of not less than one  thousand  dollars  nor  more  than  five  thousand
  dollars,  or  by  imprisonment  for a term of not less than one year nor
  more than five years, or by both such  fine  and  imprisonment,  in  the
  discretion of the court.

  S 84. Construction; inconsistent laws. This article shall be liberally
  construed  to  effectuate its objects and purposes and the public policy
  of the state as hereby declared.  If any part of this  article,  or  its
  application  to  any persons or circumstances, is adjudged by a court to
  be invalid or ineffectual, such judgment shall not affect the  remainder
  of  the article or its application to any other person or circumstances.
  This article shall supersede all laws inconsistent with it to the extent
  of such inconsistency,  but  in  all  other  respects  shall  be  deemed
  supplemental  to  such laws.  Nothing contained in this article shall be
  construed as a repeal of any provision of the penal law or the  criminal
  procedure  law  or  any other law relating to criminal or quasi-criminal
  actions or proceedings.

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