What is temporary alimony?

Temporary alimony is a monetary amount that a court may award before a divorce is finalized. It is often known as “pendente lite alimony" and the goal is to keep the financial status of the party who is seeking it status quo during the pendency of the divorce case. It is usually awarded in the early stages of the divorce process. The court considers several factors in determining whether to award temporary alimony including having to determine what the parties financial needs are and the other party’s ability to pay temporary alimony. Even if the court awards a party temporary alimony at a pendente lite hearing, it does not necessarily mean that the court will award alimony once the parties obtain an absolute divorce.

If you are considering filing for divorce, you should understand how alimony could impact your case. Alimony can have a significant impact on your life and how you move forward. If you have any questions, please call (443) 741-2567 and we would be happy to meet with you to discuss your options.

Discovery is a legal process that enables you to gather pertinent information from the opposing party so that you can use it at trial. The discovery process enables you to gather all of the evidence you need to prove your case and also defend any claims made against you. In family law cases, it’s very common that each party will send interrogatories, requests for production of documents, and requests for admissions. Parties may also have depositions which means one party can ask other questions under oath.

It is imperative that you complete the discovery process because failure to do so can severely hamper your case. You will not be able to present evidence to the court if you did not disclose it in discovery. Furthermore, if a party refuses to comply with discovery, the court may order them to do so if it’s brought to the court’s attention. If you have any questions about the discovery process, please call us at (443) 741-2567 and we would be happy to help.

Working out marital property division during a divorce is challenging. Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind:

1. A couple can come to an agreement as to how to share the marital debt and who is responsible to make the payments on it. This, however, does not mean that the non-paying party is off the hook for that debt. If you are listed on the account and your ex fails to make a payment, the creditor can hold you liable and engage in debt collection against you. Hence, it is extremely important that you confirm with your ex that they are making the monthly payments until that debt is fully paid off.

2. If you shared a marital home and one spouse agrees to let the other keep the marital home, you are not off the hook until you refinance and get your name off the joint mortgage. Some parties assume that signing a quit claim deed gets them off the debt, but it does not! You are still financially responsible to the lender until your name is completely off the mortgage.

3. Any missed payments on your car note and car insurance that is jointly titled in your name will also have an adverse affect on your credit. Make sure you retitle your vehicles and car insurance policies.

4. Any foreclosure actions may affect both parties’ credit and have long-term financial challenges.

It is important to take the time to analyze your financial situation before deciding on how to handle your marital property division. If you need assistance, please call us (443) 741-2567 and we would be happy to meet with you to answer all of your questions.