Alimony: Temporary Support

Temporary alimony is the same as temporary spousal support, and both provide sustenance to the dependent party through the course of a divorce case. During the proceedings, the dependent spouse and the parties' children may require financial support, and courts may grant temporary support for that purpose. Dependant spouses can seek temporary support during legal separation as well.

Dischargeability in Bankruptcy of Obligations for Alimony, Domestic Support, and Maintenance

Dischargeability of debt is one of the core principles in bankruptcy law, and it plays a large part in the "fresh start" for debtors. Discharge cancels debt and stops collection activity for the discharged debt. There are a variety of debts that are not dischargeable in bankruptcy, including alimony and child support.

Alimony: Reimbursement Support

Reimbursement support is one way in which a spouse (the paying spouse) who received the other spouse's (the receiving spouse's) monetary support during marriage repays that support after the parties divorce. The benefit rendered could be in the form of educational costs, money spent toward establishing or operating a business for the supported spouse, and similar types of support. To be eligible for reimbursement support, the benefits should have been received during the marriage, and the receiving spouse should have provided most of the family support during the marriage period in question.

Temporary Order for Protection of the Person in Divorce

In the divorce context, a temporary order for personal protection (sometimes called a "restraining order") is a court order prohibiting a spouse from contacting or harming the other spouse. Protection orders are common in situations involving spousal abuse or harassment. The orders usually are kept in place for the duration of the divorce case.

No-Fault Divorce: Irretrievable Breakdown

For purposes of no-fault divorce, states use various terms to describe the basic concept of marital breakdown, including irreconcilable differences, incompatibility, insupportability, and irretrievable breakdown. The realization that existing divorce laws no longer comported with the modern marriage experience and marital life led most states to recognize marital disharmony as a basis for no-fault divorce. Statutes usually provide some definition for the concept, and courts often have discretion to apply the standard in individual divorce proceedings.