Shea v. Cameron
Shea v. Cameron
Opinion
*732
This appeal concerns whether a defendant's alleged fraudulent inducement to marry constitutes a valid civil cause of action. The plaintiff, Susan Shea, and the defendant, Michael Cameron, were married before receiving a judgment of annulment which incorporated their joint stipulation of Cameron's fraud. Following the annulment, Shea filed a civil action relating to Cameron's marriage fraud in Superior Court. Cameron filed counterclaims alleging fraud by Shea regarding entry of the stipulation and annulment. Cameron moved for summary judgment on all of Shea's claims. After granting Cameron's motion for summary judgment, the judge reported his order to this court pursuant to Mass.R.Civ.P. 64(a), as amended,
Background . Shea began a consensual romantic relationship with Cameron in June, 2005. By October, 2005, Cameron had moved into Shea's home, and soon thereafter, the two became engaged. Shea and Cameron married on September 22, 2007. In 2010, Shea transferred title to her *874 home from herself individually to Shea and Cameron as joint tenants and Cameron was added to the mortgage. Over the course of their relationship, Shea and Cameron exchanged money, shared bank accounts, and worked together professionally.
In 2011, Shea discovered that Cameron was having an affair and subsequently filed for divorce on the grounds of irretrievable breakdown. On April 30, 2012, Shea withdrew her complaint for divorce and filed a complaint for annulment. At a deposition related to the annulment proceeding, Cameron admitted to being *733 "unable to love [Shea] very early in the marriage" and that he did not ever believe that Shea was his "one true love."
On June 7, 2013, Shea and Cameron entered into a joint stipulation of annulment based on Cameron's fraud, ending the marriage ab initio. 1 Unbeknownst to Cameron, Shea filed a complaint in Probate and Family Court on June 6, 2013, related to this stipulated fraud. Immediately following the entry of the judgment of annulment, Shea served Cameron with her complaint as he left the court room.
Shea's complaint was dismissed by the Probate and Family Court for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. Shea then filed the same claims in Superior Court. Shea's theory of recovery on all claims is related to Cameron's false claims of love, Cameron's emotionally harmful conduct during their relationship, and Cameron's improper use of their shared finances. Cameron's counterclaims allege that but for Shea's deliberate concealment of her claims, he would not have entered into the stipulation of annulment.
The judge entered summary judgment in favor of Cameron on all eight of Shea's claims. In his memorandum and decision, the judge accepted that Cameron made misrepresentations "about the genuineness of his love and commitment to Shea," but concluded as a matter of law that the court was unable to intrude into private and personal relationships and provide remedy for the alleged harms. Following the entry of summary judgment the judge reported his decision to this court under Mass.R.Civ.P. 64(a) as an interlocutory finding and stayed Cameron's counterclaims.
Report . As a threshold matter, we consider the propriety of the report on which this case comes before us. A Superior Court judge is authorized to report a case when "an interlocutory finding or order made by [him] so affects the merits of the controversy that the matter ought to be determined by the appeals court before any further proceedings in the trial court." Mass.R.Civ.P. 64(a). "Interlocutory matters should be reported only where it appears that they present serious questions likely to be material in the ultimate decision, and that subsequent proceedings in the trial court will be substantially facilitated by so doing."
*734
John Gilbert, Jr., Co.
v.
C.M. Fauci Co.
,
Facially, Shea's eight claims in her amended complaint and Cameron's five counterclaims appear inextricable. However, a closer inspection into the underlying factual circumstances show that the reported question as to Shea's claims is not material to the stayed counterclaims. Shea's claims rest on the factual circumstances surrounding Cameron's alleged
*875
amatory torts, alleged emotional harm, and alleged unjust dispossession of property. On the other hand, Cameron's counterclaims are based almost entirely on allegations regarding the parties' stipulation of fraud and the resulting judgment of annulment.
2
Any guidance to the Superior Court on the reported issue will not materially impact the decision on the stayed counterclaims and we have some doubt as to whether this case is appropriate for a report under Mass.R.Civ.P. 64(a).
3
See
Cusic
v.
Commonwealth
,
Standard of review
. Summary judgment is appropriate where there are no genuine issues of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. See Mass.R.Civ.P. 56(c), as amended,
Discussion
. 1.
Stipulation of fraud
.
4
Before reaching Shea's substantive claims, we address the effect, if any, of the prior stipulation of fraud on our de novo review. Generally, stipulations of fact serve an important function for the efficiency of the court in ruling on motions for summary judgment. See
*876
Mitchell
v.
Walton
Lunch Co.
,
In contrast to stipulations of fact, courts are not bound by stipulations of law, especially when the legal stipulations are based on incomplete and misleading facts, incorrect applications of the law, or are self-serving. See
Goddard
,
supra
at 46-47,
Even if the prior stipulation is a mixed issue of fact and law, any factual component here must also be disregarded. See
Goddard
,
supra
at 45-46,
2. Shea's substantive claims . Shea's amended complaint asserts eights claims which can be categorized by their underlying factual basis. First, the claims of fraud and deceit (count II), misrepresentation (count IV), and battery (count VIII) are each based on alleged false professions of love which induced Shea to enter into the romantic relationship and annulled marriage. The claims of negligent infliction of emotional distress (count III) and intentional infliction of emotional distress (count V) are each based on conduct allegedly committed by Cameron during the annulled marriage which caused Shea emotional and mental harm. Finally, the claims of exertion of undue influence (count I), money had and received (Count VI), and unjust enrichment (count VII) are each based on Cameron's use of the parties' shared finances. We address each type of claim in turn.
a.
Count II, count IV, and count VIII
. General Laws c. 207, § 47A, inserted by St. 1938, c. 350, § 1 (also referred to as the Heart Balm Act),
5
states that a "[b]reach
*877
of contract to marry shall not constitute an injury or wrong recognized by law, and no
*737
action, suit or proceeding shall be maintained therefor." The term "heart balm" itself reflects the Legislature's public policy decision to no longer consider judicial remedy appropriate for what is only "an ordinary broken heart."
Conley
v.
Romeri
,
Not only does G. L. c. 207, § 47A, preclude claims of pure breach of a marriage contract, it also "abolished any right of action, whatever its form, that was based upon such a breach," including "[a]ctions in tort for fraud."
Thibault
v.
Lalumiere
,
Unlike in a traditional heart balm action, Shea does not assert that Cameron wronged her by not marrying her; rather, she asserts that Cameron wronged her in fraudulently inducing her to marry him. This argument rests on the principle that Cameron's express and implied promises of love were knowingly false, and that but for these professions, she would not have entered into the romantic relationship which resulted in the alleged harm suffered. Without the contract of marriage that followed the alleged false statements, Shea's claims of fraud would have no basis. We conclude that Shea's artful pleadings fail to hide the fact that these claims, based on events that occurred prior to the marriage,
*738
are precluded under G. L. c. 207, § 47A, as a matter of law.
7
See
A.B.
,
Additionally, Shea's claim of battery, while not precluded under the Heart Balm Act, fails because any alleged fraud
*878
by Cameron was legally insufficient to vitiate Shea's consent to sexual intercourse. See
Conley
,
supra
at 805-806,
b. Count III and count V . Shea also alleges that the conduct of Cameron during the course of their romantic relationship caused Shea emotional distress. Construing all facts and inferences in favor of Shea, she fails to prove an essential element of both intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress.
i.
Intentional infliction of emotional distress
. A claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress requires: "(1) that the defendant intended to inflict emotional distress, or knew or should have known that emotional distress was the likely result of his conduct, ... (2) that the defendant's conduct was extreme and outrageous, beyond all possible bounds of decency, and utterly intolerable in a civilized community, (3) [that] the actions of the defendant were the cause of the plaintiff's distress, and (4) [that] the emotional distress suffered by the plaintiff was severe and of such a nature that no reasonable person could be expected to endure it."
Quinn
,
supra
at 706,
As previously noted by this court, an adulterous affair like the one alleged here, "even one which is intended to, or which the actor should have known would, cause emotional harm" cannot be deemed "extreme and outrageous."
*739
Quinn
,
supra
at 708,
ii.
Negligent infliction of emotional distress
. "To recover for the tort of negligent infliction of emotional distress, a plaintiff must prove: '(1) negligence; (2) emotional distress; (3) causation; (4) physical harm manifested by objective symptomatology; and (5) that a reasonable person would have suffered emotional distress under the circumstances of the case.' "
Conley
,
supra
at 801,
c. Count I, count VI, and count VII . Shea brings three individual claims to attempt to recover damages for the exchange of money and her home between Shea and Cameron over the course of their relationship. The underlying factual basis for the three claims is that Shea would not have relinquished ownership rights of her real or personal property if not for the coercive or fraudulent conduct of Cameron. The record fails to provide a sufficient basis for either theory, even viewed in the light most favorable to Shea.
*740
i.
Money had and received and unjust enrichment
.
9
"Unjust enrichment is defined as 'retention of money or property of another against the fundamental principles of justice or equity and good conscience.' "
Santagate
v.
Tower
,
ii.
Undue influence
. "In order adequately to establish a claim ... for undue influence, a plaintiff must establish that the defendant overcame the will of the grantor. ... Undue influence involves some form of compulsion which coerces a person into doing something the person does not want to do."
Tetrault
, 425 Mass. at 464,
3.
Conclusion
. As evidenced here, not all human actions in the context of the dissolution of a marriage have an avenue for legal recourse, no matter how much anger, sorrow, or anxiety they cause. See
Okoli
v.
Okoli (No. 2)
,
Judgment affirmed .
The complete joint stipulation reads as follows: "The parties, Susan E. Cameron, Plaintiff, and Michael J. Cameron, Defendant, agree to an annulment of marriage on the grounds of Defendant's fraud as provided by M.G.L. Chapter 207, § 14."
Cameron's pending counterclaims are (1) fraud by omission, (2) misrepresentation, (3) breach of fiduciary duty and duty to act in good faith with fair dealing, (4) unjust enrichment, and (5) partition of real estate.
We do not question the judge's finding that an appellate decision will affect how the parties proceed on the counterclaims. However, courts should be circumspect in reporting a civil interlocutory question. See
Globe Newspaper Co.
v.
Massachusetts Bay Transp. Authy. Retirement Bd.
,
Any argument that the judgment of annulment has preclusive effect on the current litigation is in error. See
Heacock
v.
Heacock
,
The Heart Balm Act refers to both G. L. c. 207, § 47A, and G. L. c. 207, § 47B. This opinion primarily addresses § 47A. However, the legislative policy that underlies § 47B, which abolished the common law actions for alienation of affection and criminal conversation, is the same as the stated policy that underlies § 47A, and many States do not separate the provisions. See, e.g.,
Shea's argument that this court's
Conley
decision was in error because it relied on overturned California case law is without merit. See
Conley
,
supra
at 806 n.7,
The Heart Balm Act and this opinion do nothing to abrogate the abolition of spousal immunity in Massachusetts. See
Lewis
v.
Lewis
,
Both
Conley
,
supra
at 806 n.7,
Money had and received was originally an equitable claim for unjust enrichment specific to money and credit. See
Cobb
v.
Library Bureau
,
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.