The Coldplay concert kiss cam may have sparked one of the summer’s most viral scandals, but in the eyes of California law, is it all just noise?
Andy Byron, the former CEO of Astronomer, became an overnight internet sensation after cameras caught him getting cosy with the company’s HR, who wasn’t his wife.
Seeing the kiss cam, even Coldplay frontman Chris Martin quipped, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy,” and added, “I’m not quite sure what to do.”
ALSO READ| After CEO Andy Byron, Astronomer HR head Kristin Cabot resigns amid Coldplay ‘kiss cam’ row
Why cheating doesn’t matter in California law
While social media lit up with speculation over divorce drama and custody battles, legal experts are calling for a reality check. “People often assume cheating automatically impacts the outcome of a divorce, especially emotionally charged cases like this,” family law attorney Richard Sullivan told The Blast.
“But California is a no-fault divorce state. That means the court doesn’t care who cheated or why the marriage ended. Infidelity may be morally outrageous, but it doesn’t change the financial outcome.”
So, California law doesn’t offer any special compensation for a spouse who’s been wronged. “Unless community funds were used to support the affair—like expensive travel or gifts, cheating has very little legal consequence,” Sullivan explained. “It might matter emotionally. But in court, it’s irrelevant.”
What about Andy Byron’s children’s custody
Custody decisions, too, are based on the child’s well-being, not parental embarrassment. “Bad judgment during a concert isn’t enough to label someone an unfit parent,” Sullivan added.
“Public embarrassment is painful, but family court is about structure and stability.”
ALSO READ| Andy Byron eyes lawsuit against Coldplay over viral kiss cam scandal: Report
Meanwhile, Andy’s wife, Megan, recently changed her name on Facebook from Byron to Kerrigan before deleting her profile altogether. Once-happy family photos have vanished, and sources say she’s been leaning on her sister and staying at the couple’s $2.4 million home in Kennebunk, Maine.
