Alimony or Spousal Maintenance Is Tough To Get
Court-ordered alimony or as it is known in Texas spousal maintenance is difficult to get in a divorce. A requesting spouse must prove to the court that they lack sufficient property to meet their minimum reasonable needs. Any property the requesting spouse will receive in the divorce counts towards this minimum.
How To Prove You Need Alimony or Spousal Maintenance
A requesting spouse also must prove that either:
(1) the other spouse was convicted of or received deferred adjudication for acts of family violence within 2 years prior to or during the suit;
(2) the requesting spouse is unable to earn sufficient income because of their own physical or mental disability;
(3) the requesting spouse is unable to earn sufficient income because substantial care and supervision is required for a child of the marriage due to the child’s physical or mental disability; or
(4) the requesting spouse has been married to the other spouse a minimum of 10 years and is unable to earn sufficient income because of other reasons (e.g. the spouse has actively sought but failed to secure employment due to a lack of relevant skills).
Spousal Maintenance Won’t Last Forever
When awarded, spousal maintenance should only be ordered for the shortest reasonable period that permits the requesting spouse to earn enough to provide for their own minimum reasonable needs. The maximum length of time that spousal maintenance can be awarded is tied to how long the marriage lasted. Courts can order shorter periods of time, but not longer.
Contact our San Antonio Alimony Attorneys Today
If you need an alimony lawyer, Contact Jim Cramp today. He is someone you can depend on when family troubles seem insurmountable, an attorney who will be honest as well as capable.