A Businessman Seeks To Change Divorce Laws In California

Divorce is complex. It can be emotionally fraught and maddening. There are so many issues that need to be hammered out in the divorce process and, in the end, it is rare that anyone walks away satisfied with the results. It is a good idea to use a Westlake Village divorce attorney if you are going through a divorce so you can ensure you are treated fairly. Today, the Law Offices of Stephanie L. Mahdavi want to discuss one California man’s efforts to reform some of the divorce laws in the state.

What kind of changes are being proposed?

Steve Clark of Huntington Beach is tired of some of the divorce laws in California. Specifically, he is not a fan of the ones covering spousal maintenance, commonly known as alimony. That is why he is gathering signatures on a petition to limit judges from ordering a person to pay more than five years of alimony to their divorces spouse. Clark has to collect signatures from 623,212 registered voters by February 3, 2020, to qualify the initiative for the ballot on next year’s election.

He previously tried to get this initiative on the ballot back in 2014, but it was not put before the voters. Why is Clark so determined to make this change in California’s divorce law?

He says this is all rooted in his own divorce and alimony dispute. “That money…could’ve been spent on my daughter’s education,” says Clark.

What kinds of alimony are there in California?

Spousal maintenance may be ordered by a judge in a divorce case to support the spouse of lesser means. There are various types of spousal maintenance that could be applied:

• Temporary alimony: is paid during the separation but before a divorce become final. This type of spousal maintenance could stop altogether when the divorce is finalized, or it could be continued into another type of payment.
• Rehabilitative alimony: this could be ordered to allow the lesser-earning spouse to acquire skills or education necessary to become self-supporting.
• Permanent alimony: this could be ordered to be paid in fixed monthly payments from one spouse to the other of the life of the spouse. This is usually assigned to marriages that lasted longer than 10 years.
• Lump-sum/property distribution alimony: both parties could agree to one large payment from one party to the other or the distribution of property in lieu of cash.

Let us get to work on your behalf

If you are going through a divorce, you should know that you do not have to do it alone. Please consider seeking legal assistance. At the Law Offices of Stephanie L. Mahdavi, you can count on qualified and experienced help with all of your divorce matters. There is simply too much at stake in a divorce, and we will ensure you are being treated fairly at every step along the way. When you need a Westlake Village divorce attorney, you can contact us for a consultation by calling at 805-379-4550.