Divorce is a difficult prospect even when people have enough resources to share. In fact, divorces that involve more finances and assets may end up being the most contentious. When a marriage feels less like a contract based on love and more like a custody order, it may be time to separate and make preparations for an independent life.
A drawn-out divorce in Pinellas County led to a leading Florida newspaper to report on it with the headline “divorce from hell.” Two parents who lived lavishly during the marriage on the husband’s income continue to fight over the subject of alimony. This is because the wife was a full-time mother, sacrificing career options to grow her family and support her husband.
The divorce judge in the case ordered alimony payments to help support the wife, although the amount was far less than the original offer, which she refused. Several years into this arrangement, the husband became an alimony reform activist and even ran for a seat in the House of Representatives in Tallahassee, a race he lost.
The spending on this campaign led the wife to retain legal counsel and investigate the money available for possible alimony. A mediation to sort out the mess failed, and the husband was held in contempt of court. Although he left the Sunshine State before he could be detained, he could spend up to a year in jail.
Disputes over alimony payments are easier to manage with legal representation. An attorney can represent a person’s most important interests while he or she is trying to build a new life.