Indignity — Law Dictionary

Indignity

Black's Law Dictionary

Henry Campbell Black, M.A. · 1910

In the law of divorce, a species of cruelty addressed to the mind, sen-sibillties, self-respect or personal honor of the subject, rather than to the body, and defined as "unmerited contemptuous conduct towards another; any action towards another which manifests contempt for him; contumely, incivility or injury accompanied with insult." Coble v. Coble, 55 N. C. 395; Erwin v. Erwin, 57 N. C. 84; Hooper v. Hooper, 19 Mo. 357; Goodman v. Goodman, 80 Mo. App. 281; 1 Bish. Mar. & Div. § 826. But the phrase "indignities to the person," as used in statutes, has reference to bodily indignities, as distinguished from such as may be offered to the mind, sensibilities, or reputation. Cheatham v. Cheatham, 10 Mo. 298; Butler v. Butler, 1 Pars. Eq. Cas. (Pa.) 329; Kurtz v. Kurtz, 38 Ark. 123. But compare Miller v. Miller, 78 N. C. 105.

A Dictionary of Law

William C. Anderson · 1889

What acts or course of conduct will amount to ■ such indignities as constitute a cause for divorce seems to be nowhere defined, and they are perhaps incapable of exact specification. In Pennsylvania, a single act of indignity is not enough: there must be such a course of conduct, or continued treatment, as renders the wife's condition ' Commonwealth v. Boston, &c. E. Co., 133 Mass. 391-92 (1882); lU Gray, 11, 17; 120 Mass. 372. " See Insall v. State, 14 Tex. Ap. 144(1883); Holdent). State, 1 id. 234 (1876), cases. = Fox V. Hills, 1 Conn. 307 (1815); Mitchell i). Kirtland, 7 id. *231 (1828); Fitch v. Smith, 9 id. *i6 (1831). ■i People V. Vermilyea, 7 Cow. 123 (1887). ' Storr's Agricultural School v. Whitney, 54 Conn. 3S2 (1887), cases, Pardee, J.: 35 Alb. Law J. 387, cases. intolerable and her lite burdensome. Indignities to the person need not be such as would endanger life or health; they may be such as would render life too humiliating to be borne.' In North Carolina, the indignity must be such as may be expected seriously to annoy a woman of ordinary good sense and temper, and must be continued in, so that it may appear to have been done willfully or at least consciously." That condition which renders life burdensome must be shown to exist in fact, and not be merely inferred from facts.' Compare Cruelty, 1.