• ALIMONY
The court may grant alimony to either the husband or the wife. Rehabilitative
alimony may be for a limited period of time to assist in redeveloping
skills and financial independence. Permanent alimony continues until
the receiving spouse's remarriage or the death of either party. The
court may grant some combination of the two. Also the court may order
lump-sum alimony where one party pays to the other party a lump-sum
payment of money or property. Although adultery does not bar an award
of alimony, the court may consider the circumstances of that adultery
in determining the amount of alimony to be awarded.
In awarding alimony, the court considers all relevant economic
factors, such as: the parties' prior standard of living; length
of the marriage; age and physical and emotional condition of both
spouses; each spouse's financial resources and income-producing
capacity of the assets they receive; the time necessary to acquire
sufficient education or training to find appropriate employment;
and the services rendered in homemaking, child rearing, and education
and career building of the other spouse. The court may consider
any other factor necessary to do equity and justice between the
husband and wife.
You have the right to find out about all your spouse's income and
assets through the use of discovery procedures which your attorney
will explain to you.
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