Is cheating on your spouse illegal in Texas? Here’s what the law says
A married CEO of a tech company was in hot water this week after he and his HR chief were caught embracing on camera at a Coldplay concert. While his marriage and job might be in jeopardy, was he also breaking the law?
A video clip of the incident shared by Tiktok user instaagraace went viral, showing the man and woman on a jumbotron during a “kiss cam” style moment. The couple immediately break arms as they both duck out of the camera’s view.
“Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy,” Coldplay front man Chris Martin said to the crowd.
The couple are reportedly Andy Bryon, CEO of tech company Astronomer, and human resources chief Kristin Cabot, according to TMZ. Online reports say Bryon is married, while Cabot is not.
Over 61 million people have viewed the video on Tiktok, along with millions of others on X and Instagram. The question commenters keep asking is if this will end in divorce because of the alleged affair.
If this was to happen in Texas, would it be considered illegal to cheat on your spouse? Here’s what the law says.
Is it illegal to cheat on your spouse in Texas?
No, there is no Texas law against cheating on your spouse, but it could be considered adultery.
Cuddling at a Coldplay concert isn’t exactly in the same wheelhouse as sleeping together. Merriam-Webster defines adultery as “voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and someone other than that person’s current spouse or partner.”
While just over a dozen states consider adultery illegal, Texas does not. The act is, however, mentioned in the Texas Family Code in one sentence.
“The court may grant a divorce in favor of one spouse if the other spouse has committed adultery,” section 6.003 reads.
Furthermore, Texas courts will consider infidelity or marital misconduct during a divorce proceeding.
This could factor into how the community estate is divided, with the cheated on spouse more likely to win a larger portion of the estate, according to Fort Worth-based law firm Varghese Summersett.
