With men representing 97% of alimony payors, alimony reform has become a key mens rights issue. States such as Massachusetts have already enacted sweeping alimony reform, while others, including New Jersey, are in the preliminary stages of updated archaic alimony laws. Republican Assemblyman Sean Kean is one of the driving forces behind alimony reform in New Jersey. His resolution calling for the creation of a...
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The Florida alimony reform movement is gaining national attention. News anchor Anderson Cooper’s daytime talk show “Anderson” will highlight alimony problems facing men in Florida and across the country in an upcoming episode. Florida’s leading reform group, Florida Alimony Reform, says with no guidelines in the current Florida alimony laws, awards often last until death, and payments can be more than 70 percent of a...
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With the recent filing of two proposed bills, Florida politicians are spearheading efforts to move alimony reform forward within a state widely believed to be among the worst toward men when it comes to awarding spousal support. Rep. Ritch Workman and Sen. Diaz de la Portilla have filed identical bills in the House and Senate, respectively, and will work to convince legislators that the state’s...
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Could alimony reform be on its way to West Virginia? Following advantageous changes to alimony laws in favor of men’s rights in several states, such as Massachusetts and Tennessee, West Virginia will now consider adopting guidelines similar to child support for awarding spousal support. West Virginia Supreme Court Chief Justice Margaret Workman said currently alimony awards are inconsistent and unpredictable since there is no framework...
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Men’s rights was delivered a victory by the Tennessee Supreme Court in a case that could determine the future of how alimony is awarded in that state. In a unanimous decision, the state’s highest court ruled the award of lifetime alimony and attorney fees to a man’s ex-wife were inappropriate because the wife was healthy, held a stable well-paying job and received considerable assets through...
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Supporters are hoping the recently approved changes to Massachusetts’ “archaic” alimony laws will trigger successful alimony reforms in other states. One of the driving forces behind alimony reform is Elizabeth Benedict, a journalist and novelist whose op-ed piece in the Boston Globe in 2008 helped the Massachusetts alimony reform movement gain momentum. Current alimony laws are written to be gender neutral, but the fact that...
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The last couple months have featured a variety of states proposing, adopting or rejecting numerous men’s rights bills that primarily addressed outdated alimony and child custody laws. Some states are clearly moving in the right direction toward promoting father’s rights (Ohio, Oklahoma and Tennessee) while others have stalled (Alabama). Thanks to our partners at CordellCordell.com, here is a snapshot of the status of some of...
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A long-awaited alimony reform bill filed with the Massachusetts Legislature has won the approval of the Massachusetts Bar Association (MBA). The Alimony Reform Act of 2011 would bring time limits on alimony orders and enact fair and equitable alimony in the state, according to the MBA. Massachusetts’ current alimony law does not have a limit on the duration of an alimony award, does not clearly...
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Fathers & Families is a national organization committed to family court reform at the political level. The group’s wide-ranging and ambitious legislative agenda for 2011 is aimed at providing more men’s and father’s rights in family law cases. One bill that is being introduced in the California legislature would give the courts statutory power to enforce visitation orders, something that should have been done decades...
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The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution reads in part “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude… shall exist within the United States.” The Alliance for Freedom from Alimony (AFA) believes the forceful collection of lifetime alimony is a form of involuntary servitude and it unfairly targets men.