Alienation of affection suit filed against attorney

A Missouri attorney has filed an alienation of affection lawsuit against East Alton attorney William R. Miller claiming divorce has caused the plaintiff to suffer financial damages of $225,000 annually.

The plaintiff, identified as “M.W.,” filed suit in federal court March 14, saying that his wife “S.W.” - whom he married in 1991 - had a 15-year affair with Miller that began in 1995 and lasted through 2010.

He claims that Miller admitted to the relationship in early 2011, and then S.W. admitted it. Shortly after the admissions, M.W. claims he ordered a paternity test which showed that he was not the biological father of his and S.W.’s twins born in 2001. He and S.W. then filed a petition for adoption.

“Plaintiff had raised the minor children for ten years, and rather than abandon the long bonds of love and affection, decided to forever be their father,” the complaint states.

Though Miller, as biological father, intervened in the paternity action, a St. Louis County court held in favor of M.W. and S.W., the suit claims.

“At the conclusion of the paternity action, it was clear the marriage between Plaintiff M.W. and S.W. could no longer exist,” the suit claims.

A divorce action was filed in May 2012, and on Jan. 3 of this year, the divorce was finalized, the suit claims.

“As of May 14, 2012, all financial contributions of S.W. to the marriage ceased, causing Plaintiff M.W. to suffer annual financial losses of $225,000,” the suit states.

Illinois remains one of a handful of states which retains the tort claim of alienation of affections in some form, according to a footnote in the suit. Under Illinois law, the claim allows only the damages for lost financial contributions to the marriage from the “stolen” spouse, which in the case were the annual wages of S.W.

Miller has been contacted for comment, but had not returned a phone call.