In the old days you might find the father of the bride behind a two-barrel shotgun to make sure the groom walked down the aisle to make an “honest woman” of his daughter. Today your father-in-law might just sue you if you stray from his daughter. At least that’s the case with Chicago attorney Carey Stein.
Stein, in a lawsuit filed in Cook County, is demanding that his former son-in-law, Stephen C. Levy, reimburse him for the $75,000 dad paid toward Levy’s wedding to his daughter. In addition, he wants $1 million for the emotional pain he suffered when he learned Levy cheated on his daughter and gave her an STD before their December 2009 divorce.
In his suit, Stein says that at the time of the July 2008 wedding, Levy “promised and agreed” to care for and protect his daughter, but instead engaged in “vexing, harassing and annoying” behavior by allegedly having unprotected sexual activity in various sex clubs around the country, and thus wasn’t faithful to his marital promises. As a result, Stein says Levy committed fraud and breached a verbal contract the two men had stemming from when Stein agreed to pay for the couple’s wedding in exchange for Levy’s oral agreement that he would remain sexually faithful to his new bride “throughout their lives.” The marriage ended 17 months later.
Onpointnews.com hashes out Stein’s legal case, particularly the applicability of the statute of frauds. — SHEREE R. CURRY
COMMENTARY: Illinois is a no-fault divorce state. That means that one doesn’t need to air the dirty laundry of a spouse’s past just to get the divorce, and as far as CredoVie is concerned, it doesn’t mean the father-in-law gets to collect on the son-in-law’s actions during the marriage either. This is clearly a case of the father-in-law just trying to cause a man grief. Think of the time and money it would cost Levy just to go to court to protect himself? Stein might not even care if he collects on the suit, but would just take pleasure in wreaking havoc in this man’s life. If any thing, as an attorney, Stein would know their alleged verbal contract really isn’t worth the paper it is written on. Levy could easily argue that the $75,000 was Stein’s gift to his daughter. If he truly meant it to be repaid should the marriage fail, he should’ve put it in writing. Assuming the families are Jewish, Stein might have better luck having his daughter seek damages based on whether or not Levy lived up to his obligations in their Ketubah, a Jewish marriage contract. Others before have sued in American court to uphold the obligations in the ketubah contract, arguing that it is essentially a pre-nup saying what would happen in the case of a divorce. Maybe the Steins could get Levy to pay his ex-wife a goat and 100 zuzim. But in terms of the fraud case, it doesn’t look good for Stein, who is representing himself. Then again, he is a lawyer and Levy is not.What does hold well for Stein? All the publicity is sure to give him a boost to prospective clients. CV
I agree with the idea that the father shouldn’t have to “turn the other cheek” when it comes to his former son-in-law’s infidelity. It’s scary to think that he knowingly gave his wife an STD. If there is any way to make him pay, the father should certainly do his best to attack him as best as he can: legally and/or financially. This is obviously about principles, and while the amount is insignificant it shows that the father probably feels guilty for having trusted this sob with his daughter’s safety and wants to publicize his horrible deeds somehow. Good for him!
Clearly he doesn’t expect to win, can you imagine the courts being tied up with that sort of thing if he did? As his own lawyer, he can cost the guy a lot of money and get a chance to vent his anger or let the world know what the S-I-L is really about.
Personally, I don’t feel sorry for the guy. It’s just karma. Why should the dad turn the other cheek. $75k is a lot of money. It’s his legal right to hang this guy out to dry. The guy basically risked giving his ex a death sentence, unless I’m wrong and they found a way to cure HIV and Hepatitis C.
Of course, spending that kind of money on a wedding in this day and age and expecting that to be the glue that keeps a marriage together is idiotic, but it sounds like the guy is just giving his daughter’s ex- a little lesson in messing with people and not thinking about the consequences. I hope his daughter chooses more wisely next time. Assuming anyone has the courage to marry her.