Spousal support is often a sore subject to the Pennsylvania ex who has been ordered to pay. Some former spouses can well afford to pay the amount set by the court, but some struggle with payments they feel are too steep. The former husband of an heiress to a major tobacco company has made the claim she is not paying the spousal support amount on which they had agreed at the time of their divorce.
The husband was found guilty of espionage after spyware was found on her cell phone. With the device he chose, he was able to see all her emails and hear both sides of any phone conversations she may have had. The judge’s choice of punishment was to remove any claims the husband had, not only to any joint assets the couple possessed but also the spousal support she had been paying.
The wife’s attorney, speaking on her behalf, stated she had continued to pay child support for their 8-year-old twins. The wife has also accused her ex of breaking an agreement in their divorce agreement, which was having their children around new romantic interests. She claims he has introduced them to his girlfriend, who is pregnant. The legal fees the two have compiled since their divorce filing total into the millions.
When one spouse is more financially established than the other at the time of the divorce, the court may set a reasonable amount of financial support. The laws of each state vary as to what factors into the court’s decision. A family law attorney will be able to advise a potential client of the legal requirements Pennsylvania has set for spousal support.