Opinion ID: 1151624
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the court abused its discretion when it ordered an arbitrary reduction in periodic alimony in nine years.

Text: The chancellor's award of periodic alimony provided that the $2,400 in monthly alimony would be reduced to $900 after 108 months. Because we are remanding the entire award of periodic alimony to the chancellor for redetermination, it is not necessary for us to linger long on this assignment. We would however point out to the chancellor that under the facts of this case such a reduction cannot be factually justified and amounts to an abuse of discretion. Nancy presented to the lower court her needs, and there was no indication that these would decline in the future. We hold that a chancellor cannot reduce an award of periodic alimony unless he gives specific reasons for that reduction which are supported by the record. Normally, the award of periodic alimony continues until the death or remarriage of the spouse whom it is awarded. Where as here the award was too low to begin with, a reduction made without clearly articulated reasons and which is not supported by the record amounts to a severe abuse of discretion. We trust this error will not be repeated on remand.