Adultery
A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States · John Bouvier · 1839
A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States
in criminal law, from ad and alter another person; a criminal conversation, between two married persons, or a married and unmarried person. The married person is guilty of adultery, the unmarried of fornication, (q. v.) The punishment of adultery in the United States generally is fine and imprisonment. In England it is left to the feeble hands of the ecclesiastical courts to punish this offence. Adultery in one of the married persons is good cause for obtaining a divorce by the innocent partner.