A North Carolina jury has awarded her $9 million. However, the money won't come from her husband. The money will come Anne Lundquist, the woman he cheated with.
"She knew that we were married," Shackleford said on Good Morning America. She went on to say she felt compelled to sue because Lundquist knew the impact the affair would have but, nonetheless, persisted in her relationship and destroyed the marriage.
North Carolina is one of seven states that allows for this kind of lawsuit.
"The main defense is that the couple had an unhappy marriage. You can't destroy a marriage, a third party can't, if the couple was miserable in the first place," said attorney Lee Rosen on Good Morning America.
In fact, Shackleford's husband even told a local newspaper he'd had numerous affairs.
"I had absolutely no knowledge of any of his other affairs. We had a great marriage," said Cynthia Shackleford.
Lundquist told ABC News: "It would be inappropriate for me to comment further on the facts and circumstances of the case at this time." She reportedly plans to appeal the ruling.
Despite her sizable award, Shackleford insists it was never about the money. It was about sending a message.
"As long as a couple is still living together as man and wife, still in the same home, the same bedroom, the same bed, lay off."
That North Carolina law has also worked for a wronged husband. In 2001, a man was awarded $500,000 because his wife had an affair.
