Source: http://irvinelaw.com/SPOUSALS.HTM
Timestamp: 2017-06-22 22:07:04
Document Index: 409341163

Matched Legal Cases: ['§4330', '§4320', '§4330', '§4320', '§4336', '§4330', '§4320', '§4320']

No longer referred to as "alimony" in California (although the Internal Revenue Service uses the term "alimony"), spousal support is intended to provide a divorced spouse with income in order to eventually become independent and self-supporting. If the supported person fails to make a good faith effort to eventually become self-supporting, the court may consider such failure in deciding to terminate support. Family Code §4330 in part, provides that a court, in issuing an order for spousal support, must issue its express warning that "it is the goal of this State that each party shall make reasonable good faith efforts to become self-supporting as provided in Family Code §4320. The failure to make reasonable good faith efforts may be one of the factors considered by the court as a basis for modifying or terminating support."(Family Code §4330(b)).
A spousal support award issued pursuant to an initial order to show cause in a marital dissolution proceeding (temporary support) may be greater than a "permanent" award made in a marital dissolution proceeding. The court will base its decision on the amount and duration of support on factors listed in Family Code §4320 (see below), and on the standard of living enjoyed by the parties during marriage. Although by no means a strict rule, the "rule of thumb" for the duration of support is one-half the length of the marriage. Counsel for a supported spouse should argue against any termination date if possible (In re Marriage of Vomacka (1984) 36 Cal.3d 459, 204 Cal.Rptr. 568, 683 P.2d 248). Support orders in short-term marriages, however, typically will have a termination date. Nevertheless, for lengthy marriages (marriages longer than ten (10) years), except in rare situations, it is abuse of the court’s discretion to set a termination date for spousal support (Re: Marriage of Morrison (1978) 20 Cal.3d 437, 143 Cal.Rptr 139, 573 P.2d 41, Family Code §4336). In some cases, a court may believe the supported person may be self-supporting by a particular date, but may wish to reserve jurisdiction to extend the termination date prior to the time set for termination. This can be accomplished by use of a Richmond Order (In re: Marriage of Richmond (1980, 1st Dist) 105 Cal.App.3d 352, 164 Cal.Rptr. 381) making just such a provision.
A court has more discretion in determining spousal support than it has in connection with child support. Family Code §4330 merely provides that a court may award spousal support to a party. If the court decides to award spousal support the court will consider the following circumstances (Family Code §4320):
(k) The goal that the supported party shall be self-supporting within a reasonable period of time. A "reasonable period of time" for purposes of this section generally shall be one-half the length of the marriage. However, nothing in this section is intended to limit the court' s discretion to order support for a greater or lesser length of time, based on any of the other factors listed in this section and the circumstances of the parties.
(l ) Any other factors the court determines are just and equitable.
(Family Code §4320)
In determining support, a court may consider actual earnings potential of a party. Therefore, a payor party cannot reduce or escape responsibility for spousal support by refusing to work or transferring employment to a lower paying position (Philbin v. Philbin (1971) 19 Cal.App.3d, 115, 121).