Each parents of a minor child equally have equal financial support obligations for his or her child under the law. This means that they are equally liable for medical, dental, psychiatric and other medical costs. However, the court will award support to one of the parties, based on the amount of time spent with each party, the income each party receives, and a few other items.

A court can order one spouse to make monthly payments of support to the other spouse when a couple legally separates or files for a dissolution.  These payments are known as spousal support. These monthly payments used to be referred to as “alimony.”  To begin a spousal support order, one of the following cases must be filed: an annulment, a dissolution, a legal separation or a domestic violence restraining order.

Dissolution commonly known as a Divorce ends a marriage. Alongside of the disagreements, emotional hurt, and separation, the legal aspect of it alone can be quite overwhelming. Most people would not know where to even begin the process of a divorce. And it can become more stressful trying to figure out who gets what assets and valuables and who’s going to finish paying off certain debts. Of course the most difficult part of divorce is who do the kids live with and how much time should they spend each parent.