The Hsinchu District Court has ordered a woman to compensate NT$350,000 to a wife after ruling that her long-term affair with the woman’s husband violated marital rights and caused severe emotional damage.
According to court documents, Ms. Lin and her husband, Mr. Zhou, had been married for two decades and were raising three young children when Zhou became involved with another woman, Ms. Yan, in 2015. Lin recalled that her husband began spending weekends at community events without her, often claiming business obligations. She supported him quietly, handling household duties and childcare alone.
Lin later discovered messages in which Zhou and Yan addressed each other as “husband” and “wife,” even discussing personal matters. Instead of returning to his family, Zhou openly flaunted his relationship, taking Yan shopping and staying overnight at her residence. By late October 2015, he had moved out permanently, leaving Lin to raise the children on her own.
Lin filed her first lawsuit in 2016, which resulted in a NT$100,000 compensation order against Yan. However, Yan did not pay and continued her relationship with Zhou. Over the years, Zhou and his mother provided a luxury home where the couple lived together, while Lin struggled to provide for the children on a modest income of around NT$25,000 per month. She also bore the full cost of the children’s health insurance, as Zhou refused to include them in his company coverage.
The situation took a heavy toll on Lin’s health and family life. She reported being diagnosed with breast cancer, undergoing multiple surgeries and chemotherapy, while also managing her children’s upbringing under financial strain. Despite these hardships, Zhou and his mother criticized her parenting and demanded she sell her assets to cover one child’s legal troubles.
Arguing that Yan’s intrusion into her marriage caused years of suffering and irreparable emotional harm, Lin sought NT$1 million in damages. After reviewing the case, the Hsinchu District Court acknowledged the long-term impact on Lin but awarded her NT$350,000 in compensation.
The ruling underscores the legal protection of spousal rights in Taiwan and serves as a reminder of the accountability third parties may face in extramarital affairs.
