Denton Alimony Attorney

Alimony / Spousal Support

Denton Texas Spousal Support Lawyer

Alimony is referred to as spousal maintenance in the Texas Family Code. For couples facing divorce, alimony might be an issue to address with a spousal support lawyer. In short-term marriages, a spouse is usually not eligible for spousal maintenance. Under Texas alimony laws, the courts grant spousal maintenance to divorcing couples married for 10 years or longer, with one exception: If your spouse has been convicted of domestic violence, you may be eligible for spousal maintenance.

Eligibility for Spousal Maintenance

Chapter 8 of the Texas Family Code outlines conditions that define eligibility for spousal maintenance. The following is an explanation in plain language of what it takes to be eligible for spousal maintenance in Texas:

• The court may order maintenance if the spouse who is to pay the maintenance has been found guilty or placed on community supervision for a charge of family violence within the two years of the request.

• The court may order maintenance also if:

  1. The marriage was at least 10 years long, and
  2. The spouse to receive the maintenance lacks sufficient property to provide for his or her minimal needs.

• If 1 and 2 are true, then the court may order maintenance in the following three situations:

  • The spouse cannot support himself or herself because of an incapacitating mental or physical disability, or
  • The spouse is the custodian of a child who needs substantial personal care and supervision because of a mental or physical disability and providing such care prevents the spouse from being employed outside the home, or
  • The spouse clearly lacks the earning ability to maintain the minimum required to meet his or her basic needs.

Texas Family Code Chapter 8 [http://tlo2.tlc.state.tx.us/statutes/fa.toc.htm]

Arrange a Free Consultation

Brian Tackett, the Family Law Attorney at Tackett Legal, P.C. can answer your questions concerning alimony or spousal support during or after your divorce. As a Denton law firm, we provide legal help to clients in Gainesville, Lewisville, Frisco and many other communities throughout Texas. We encourage you to arrange a consultation to learn about your rights regarding spousal maintenance. See how we can help.

Free consultation
Call 940-591-1633
Toll-free number 877-866-2603
Contact us online