A federal judge ruled on Friday that former Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) is subject to a lawsuit filed under North Carolina’s “alienation of affection” law, commonly referred to as a “homewrecker” statute. The legal challenge arises from a romantic relationship Sinema engaged in with Matthew Ammel, a married member of her security detail, during the 2024 calendar year.

Sinema has publicly acknowledged the relationship. However, her legal team has contested the lawsuit on jurisdictional grounds, arguing that the former senator cannot be held liable under North Carolina law. The defense maintains that the legal requirements for such a claim are not met in this specific instance. Conversely, the ruling suggests that the court finds sufficient grounds for the case to proceed, rejecting the initial attempts to have the matter dismissed based on the arguments presented by Sinema’s attorneys.

North Carolina is one of the few remaining states in the U.S. that maintains “alienation of affection” laws, which allow a spouse to sue a third party for damages if they believe that person caused the breakdown of their marriage. The case will now move forward to address the merits of the allegations. As of now, Sinema’s representatives have not provided extensive public commentary on the next steps of the litigation, though the court’s decision marks a significant procedural hurdle that the former senator’s defense failed to clear.