This Boulder County family law blog has addressed a number of topics related to the important and often necessary subject of alimony. Alimony can be ordered by courts so that one spouse may maintain their standard of living in the wake of a divorce that may otherwise deprive them of access to their former spouse’s earnings.
If alimony is ordered by a divorce court, it becomes an obligation between the parties. Unless otherwise indicated, it is not conditional and the party mandated to pay must do so by the terms of the alimony order. Alimony enforcement may be achieved by returning to court and seeking a finding of contempt to compel the responsible party’s payment of the obligated sums.
It can be difficult, though, to make an uncooperative party pay the alimony that they are legally obligated to provide. Individuals who are struggling to make their former spouses stay current on their obligations can seek counsel with their divorce and family law attorneys.
When preparing to meet with an attorney about a neglected alimony order, a party may wish to bring any records that indicate when they stopped receiving payments from their ex. In the event that disagreements about alimony payments arise it can be useful for the suffering party to have documentation of the other’s deficiencies to strengthen their claims.
Not every divorcing couple will have to deal with alimony but those who do must comply with the terms of the orders that govern their alimony responsibilities. Failing to do so can result in findings of contempt against non-paying parties and other possible sanctions that may be used to compel compliance.
