## Facts

- A minor child lived in Connecticut with his mother, who had legal custody after divorce.
- The mother became involved in an intimate relationship with the defendant.
- The child alleged the defendant intentionally seduced and alienated the mother’s affection from the child.
- The child claimed resulting harm included emotional distress, loss of the mother’s love, society, and guidance, and being forced to leave or be removed from the home.
- The child sought damages under a theory of alienation of parental affection.

## Issues

1. Whether Connecticut law permits a minor child to sue a third party for alienation of a parent’s affections.

## Decision

- The trial court sustained the defendant’s demurrer for failure to state a cognizable claim, and judgment entered for the defendant when the plaintiff did not plead over.
- The Connecticut Supreme Court affirmed.
- The court held Connecticut does not recognize a child’s cause of action for alienation of a parent’s affections.

## Legal Principles

- A child’s interest in a parent’s love, affection, society, and guidance is a natural interest, not a legally protected right supporting an alienation-of-affections tort claim.
- The spousal consortium interest has historically received distinct legal protection; the court declined to extend an analogous protection to the parent–child relationship in this context.
- Absent established state authority, courts may decline to create a new family-relations tort, particularly where policy concerns include speculative damages, proof difficulties, and the risk of excessive or abusive litigation.
- A constitutional guarantee of redress for injuries does not require recognition of a cause of action that has not been legally cognizable.

## Conclusion

The court affirmed dismissal of the child’s complaint, holding that Connecticut law provides no tort remedy to a minor child for a third party’s alleged alienation of a parent’s affections because the child’s interest in parental affection, though real, is not a legally enforceable right in this setting.


Taylor v. Keefe, 134 Conn. 156, 56 A.2d 768 (Conn. 1947)