Whether you expect to owe alimony or receive these payments, it is pivotal to familiarize yourself with various legal issues related to spousal support during your divorce. In fact, some people have to pay alimony before the divorce becomes finalized, which the courts refer to as alimony pendente lite.
It is important to go over a number of topics related to alimony pendente lite, and you should also focus on other spousal support considerations during the divorce process.
What is alimony pendente lite?
For starters, alimony pendente lite is temporary, and an order could stay in place until the completion of the divorce process. The Pennsylvania General Assembly states that courts sometimes award alimony pendente lite during a divorce. However, some people cannot receive alimony pendente lite from their spouse, such as those convicted of personal injury offenses involving their marital partner.
Do courts enforce alimony pendente lite?
If you owe alimony pendente lite, or the other party has fallen behind on payments they owe you, you should understand that courts have a number of tools to enforce an alimony pendente lite order. For example, someone who owes arrears could face wage garnishment, the court could go after profits from their real estate and they could have to pay interest. Additionally, the court could request security to make sure that payments continue in the future.
In fact, if you do not pay alimony pendente lite, you could become held in contempt of court. This could lead to up to six months behind bars. Therefore, it is pivotal to stay current on alimony pendente lite obligations.
