Legal Definitions - heartbalm statute

A heartbalm statute is a law in some states that eliminates the right to sue for monetary damages as a way to cope with the emotional distress caused by a loss of love and relationship. This includes lawsuits for alienation of affections, breach of promise to marry, criminal conversation, and seduction of a person over the legal age of consent.

For example, if someone breaks off an engagement, the other person cannot sue for damages due to emotional distress caused by the broken engagement. This is because the heartbalm statute eliminates the right to sue for such damages.

Many states have enacted heartbalm statutes because it is difficult to determine the cause of a loss and there is potential for abusive prosecution. The term heartbalm statute is used to describe the law that abolishes lawsuits that were known as heartbalm suits.