Reinstituting the maintenance of actions for alienation of affection and criminal conversation

HB 3479 would reinstate civil lawsuits for "alienation of affection" (suing someone who caused a marriage to break down) and "criminal conversation" (suing for adultery) in West Virginia. It removes a 1969 law that banned these claims, allowing new cases to be filed for acts occurring after the bill's effective date. The bill sets a three-year deadline to file such claims and prohibits lawsuits if the couple permanently separated before the alleged act. This directly affects individuals who believe a third party damaged their marriage or engaged in adultery with their spouse, but only for incidents happening after the law takes effect.