Legal Question in Family Law in Connecticut
A man and woman were married for 12 years. They have been divorced for 4 years. During the past 4 years the man moved out of the home they shared so the woman and their two children could stay in the home and not be disrupted. The two children are now 18 and 20 years old. Both children work. The 18 year old works part time and goes to college full time. The 20 year old works full time. The woman has been continuously employed by a public school for the past 8 years as a office secretary. All of a sudden, the woman has just decided to file for alimony. The man works in a machine shop, making a higher income than the mother. He certainly is not "well off" but technically does make more money than the woman. The man financially supported the children since the divorce and made sure they had everything they needed and more. The woman spent the last 5 or so years abusing alcohol and locking herself in her room for days at a time, while the father would assure the children had their needs met and made it to school or work. The woman went to rehab and got sober a few months before she filed for alimony. Does the woman stand a chance of winning the case and recieving alimony? The reason for the divorce was that the woman decided she wasn't happy with the man and blindsided him out of nowhere one day and.demanded a divorce She received plastic surgery during the marriage and suddendly felt that she was too good for the man.
1 Answer from Attorneys
What did the divorce decree from 4 years ago say? If she wasn't awarded alimony, even if only a dollar a year, she can't get it now (assuming this was a Connecticut divorce). If she was awarded alimony at the time, she has to seek a modification. In order to get a modification, she has to show that there has been a "substantial change in circumstances" between 4 years ago and now. "Substantial" usually means a party's income has gone up or down at least 15%.
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