Legal Question in Credit and Debt Law in Wisconsin
reimbursment of monies spent by spouse during legal seperation
Divorced in 1997. During our legal seperation my spouse spent, from our joint accounts, over $10,000 for personal things (trips, computer, luggage ect.). I was assurred (via letter from her attorney) it would be reimbursed. I have never seen a penny of it. The court ordered us to not spend joint account money for personal things during the seperation. Can I still get my money? How?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: reimbursment of monies spent by spouse during legal seperation
If this debt was incurred during the temporary order period prior to the final divorce judgment, it is a matter for the family court. A post judgment case would usually be commenced with an order to show cause why the violating spouse should not be held in contempt for failure to comply with terms of the settlement. If you indeed had a legal separation (which is similar to a final divorce judgment except for prohibitions upon remarriage) at the time the debt was incurred, things could be different--you may have a civil defense to collection of the debt against you, provided that the creditors had notice of the legal separation and closure of the joint accounts. The bottom line is that I need a lot more information in order to answer your question.