Court Opinion

ID: 9935774
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-02-09 18:56:42.07634+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:29:20.781434
License: Public Domain

I agree with Judge Yates's dissent. I would not penalize the wife, as the majority seems to do, for her "choice not to pursue educational or vocational opportunities." Judge Yates states the following standard, which is the appropriate one, I think, in judging the wife's contribution to the marriage:
 "[W]hether to care for the home and children and support a spouse's career instead of working outside the home is a joint decision to be made in all marriages. Alabama law does not require that either party in a marriage work outside the home in order to be able to obtain sufficient support and an equitable distribution of property in the event of divorce. The parties' financial situation did not require that the wife work. She should not be penalized now for that fact."