Golfer Daly's fiancee seeks dismissal of ex-wife's lawsuit

By Jack Elliott Jr.
Associated Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - The fiancee of professional golfer John Daly is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to throw out a lawsuit that blames her for breaking up his previous marriage.

In February, the Mississippi Supreme Court gave the green light to Sherrie Allison Miller to pursue damages against Anna Cladakis, claiming alienation of affection.

Miller and Daly married in 2001 and separated in 2007. She is suing Cladakis, to whom Daly became engaged in December, for unspecified damages, arguing that Cladakis broke up their marriage.

Miller says her marriage with Daly ended because Cladakis and Daly developed a sexual relationship while the couple was separated. Daly's divorce from Miller was granted in 2010.

The Mississippi Supreme Court said Miller may have grounds to collect damages if she can prove Daly and Cladakis conducted their relationship in Mississippi. Mississippi is one of only a handful of states that permit lawsuits for alienation of affections.

Cladakis has argued in court filings that she doesn't live in Mississippi and neither does Daly so Mississippi courts have no interest in the case.

Miller alleges the sexual trysts occurred in DeSoto County, Mississippi, which borders Memphis, Tennessee.

Cladakis' attorneys appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court in April. Lawyers for Miller have until May 18 to file a response.

A Mississippi judge in 2012 dismissed a lawsuit by Miller because none of the parties involved were located in the state, but Miller's attorney argued on appeal that Daly and Cladakis had sexual trysts in Mississippi. The Mississippi Court of Appeals agreed, determining the case should be heard in DeSoto County, Mississippi, and the state Supreme Court upheld that decision.

Daly won the PGA Championship in his first year on tour in 1991. He also won the British Open in 1995. He has won five PGA tournaments overall. Daly announced on Twitter last December that he popped the question to Cladakis, whom he has been with for seven years.

Published: Wed, May 13, 2015