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Man arrested for failing to pay spousal maintenance

There are many concerns for a divorcing couple in Stillwater. In some instances, there are significant assets, children whose future living arrangements have to be determined and how much spousal maintenance will be paid. Alimony is frequently in dispute when there is a divorce. The amount of money that will be paid is often disagreed upon and, in some instances, the payer fails to keep up with the payments.

A 66-year-old man was arrested after it was discovered that he had failed to pay almost $200,000 in alimony payments to his former wife. The man had previously been in trouble with the law for making illegal political payments. For that, he was fined $40,000 in 2007. The charge for failing to pay the alimony to his wife is contempt. There is no bond for his release. He remains incarcerated until he pays, upon which time he will be released.

There are nuances to a divorce and its important that both sides understand how the system works. Spousal maintenance and the spousal maintenance calculator are viewed differently depending on the jurisdiction in which the case is being tried and the financial wherewithal of the participants. Whether there are children in the relationship, if there are significant assets and if the spouses are able to agree on certain matters or are fighting over everything will also come into play. Its wise to know what the assets are and to have an idea of what to expect before going into court. This will prevent any major surprises and help achieve the individual's goals.

In this instance, the man failed to make the required payments based on his divorce. For that, he wound up being arrested and will not be released until he catches up on the substantial amount of money he owes. When there is a divorce on the horizon or one that is already underway, a key to achieving a settlement that will be acceptable is to discuss the matter with a legal professional experienced in spousal maintenance.

Source: The Augusta Chronicle, "Former University System of Georgia regent Tim Shelnut held in contempt of court," Travis Highfield, June 13, 2014

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