Alimony is Not a Right

When you are seeking a divorce from your partner, you may also be considering alimony as part of your divorce settlement. If that is the case, you need to understand that alimony is not a right, but a privilege that is granted by the court.

Although no two alimony cases are the same, judges generally look at the same things when deciding whether to approve or deny alimony. Some argue that the most important aspect, after finances of course, is the length of the marriage. In general, marriages that lasted longer than ten years are more likely to be granted alimony than those that ended sooner.

Over the past few decades, an unstated law in the court was that a wife is entitled to be supported in the style to which she has become accustomed. While this is often an unstated plea in a divorce case, it is not necessarily the norm anymore. Courts across the country have started to crack down on alimony cases, only granting them to certain parties based on the need of one person to receive alimony, not just on the desire of that person to maintain a certain lifestyle.

If you are planning to ask for maintenance as part of your divorce, consult with a Long Island family law attorney first by contacting the Meyers Law Group.