Opinion ID: 2067354
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The 1980 Alimony Act

Text: Maryland's 1980 Alimony Act (1980 Alimony Act), Md. Code (1957, 1981 Repl.Vol.), Art. 16, §§ 1 through 5, constitutes the second phase of a comprehensive revision of Maryland's domestic relations law. It represents a new legislative approach to the rights and obligations associated with a form of spousal support  alimony. The 1980 Alimony Act embodies a significant modification of the previous right to alimony for an indefinite period terminable upon the death of either spouse or the marriage of the recipient spouse. It allows equity courts to award alimony for a definite period of time after considering, among other things, both the monetary and nonmonetary contribution of the spouses, and any monetary award granted pursuant to § 3-6A-05 of the Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article. The 1980 Alimony Act was proposed by The Governor's Commission on Domestic Relations Laws. In its Report on a Proposed Bill Relating to Alimony ..., the Commission repeatedly indicated that the 1980 Alimony Act was intended to deal with the subject of alimony and not with property disposition. Thus, the Commission said: Early in its deliberations the Commission decided that, while the question of the division of property at the time of divorce was the most pressing problem before it, the question of alimony was a rather close second.  The matter of property division has been resolved, at least for the present, by the enactment of Ch. 794, Acts of 1978 (Subtitle 6A, Article on `Courts and Judicial Proceedings'). Now, the accompanying proposed Bill embodies the legislative recommendations which the Commission believes should be enacted into law on the subject of alimony.  Report of The Governor's Comm'n on Domestic Relations Laws, at 1 (1980) (emphasis added). All of the questions considered by the Commission centered upon various aspects of alimony. Of prime importance was the duration of time for which alimony should be required. The Commission determined that the purpose of alimony was to provide an economic means for both parties to deal with their new unmarried life on their own, or put another way, to provide an opportunity for the recipient party to become self-supporting. Report of The Governor's Comm'n on Domestic Relations Laws, at 2 (1980). Indeed, the Commission recognized that the purpose of an award of alimony at the time of divorce is not to provide a lifetime pension, but to facilitate a transition for the parties from the joint married state to the separate single one, where this is practicable. Report of The Governor's Comm'n on Domestic Relations Laws, at 4 (1980). The Commission recommended that [t]he award of alimony in the ordinary case should be for a specific time, and that time should be stated in the Order or Decree.... Report of The Governor's Comm'n on Domestic Relations Laws, at 4 (1980). Other questions relating to alimony considered by the Commission included modification of the doctrine of recrimination, reimbursability of costs already expended, participation of the State in the collection of arrearages, and award of judgment for attorney's fees. Report of the Governor's Comm'n on Domestic Relations Laws, at 7 (1980). Thus, the Commission in various ways indicated that the purpose of the 1980 Alimony Act was to provide the fairest possible outcome of the alimony problem for most divorcing parties in this State. Report of The Governor's Comm'n on Domestic Relations Laws, at 2 (1980). The General Assembly's awareness that the scope of the 1980 Alimony Act was restricted to alimony is equally manifest. The 1980 Alimony Act was passed for the purpose of defining, consolidating and establishing the law with respect to alimony; establishing uniform procedures for enforcing alimony obligations; clarifying language, resolving conflicts, and defining certain terms; and relating generally to alimony. Ch. 575 of the Acts of 1980, effective 1 July 1980. The subtitle of Art. 16, §§ 1 through 5 is Alimony. The 1980 Alimony Act itself embodies a statutory scheme whose parts are logically organized to deal with alimony upon the dissolution of a marriage. Article 16, § 1 describes the authority of equity courts to award alimony and enumerates the factors to be considered in determining the amount of the award and the period of its duration. Indeed, that section requires equity courts to consider any monetary award granted pursuant to § 3-6A-05 of the Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article in determining the amount of alimony. Article 16, § 2 authorizes equity courts to order that alimony payments be made to a designated government agency or trustee. Article 16, § 3 describes the authority of equity courts to order the payment of necessary and reasonable expenses incurred in any proceeding to enforce an alimony award. Article 16, § 4 describes the authority of equity courts to award alimony against nonresident defendants. Article 16, § 5 describes the authority of equity courts to modify or terminate alimony awards. Thus, the legislative history of the 1980 Alimony Act, the language of that Act when read in context and in relation to all of its provisions and its stated purpose overwhelmingly establish a legislative intent to restrict the scope of the 1980 Alimony Act to alimony. It was not intended to alter Maryland's traditional distinction between alimony and disposition of property, or to authorize the award of alimony in gross.