Legal Question in Family Law in Virginia

Potential alimony

Your friend should consult with a lawyer whopractices family law in his state. In Virginia, alimony is available, but not in all cases -- it depends on the facts. This isnot something that should or could be answeredintelligently over a computer BBS. He needs areal live lawyer.

Alimony is a Possibility

This response is not considered to be the giving ot legal advice or the establishment of an attorney-client relationship.

Unlike child support, which is generally set by statutory guidelines (Virginia Code Section 20-108.2), there are no guidelines for an award of alimony (sometimes called spousal support). Virginia Code Section 20-107.1 lists the factors that the Court is supposed to consider in determining whether an award of spousal support is appropriate and, if so, the amount thereof.

alimony guidelines

There are no alimony guidelines in Virginia comparable to the child support guidelines. Courts look at various factors to determine spousal support. Some of the relevant factors in determining spousal support are: need, length of marriage, contributions to marriage, fault grounds for divorce, ability to pay, and standard of living enjoyed during the marriage. This list is not intended to be complete. Please consult an attorney experienced in family law matters in Virginia to render an informed opinion. This reply is not intended to establish an attorney-client relationship or to answer your specific legal questions.