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EspañolEn esta sección encontrará información específica del proceso de divorcio en Alabama. Puede encontrar más información sobre el divorcio, incluyendo los riesgos de llevar a sus hijos/as fuera del estado mientras hay un divorcio pendiente, en nuestra página general de Divorcio. Para ver vídeos cortos sobre el divorcio en español, con subtítulos en inglés, vaya a nuestra página de Vídeos. Además, puede leer más sobre los procesos de la corte en nuestra página de Preparándose para la Corte- Por su Cuenta.
- ¿Cuáles son los requisitos de residencia para solicitar el divorcio en Alabama?
- ¿Cuáles son las causales (razones) para un divorcio en Alabama?
- Can I get temporary alimony while the divorce is pending?
- Can I get alimony once the divorce is finalized?
- ¿Cuáles son los pasos básicos para obtener un divorcio?
- ¿Dónde puedo encontrar más información sobre el divorcio en Alabama?
¿Cuáles son los requisitos de residencia para solicitar el divorcio en Alabama?
The amount of time that you or your spouse has to live in Alabama before filing for a divorce will depend on whether or not one or both of the spouses live in Alabama, as follows:
- If both spouses are residents of Alabama, a divorce can be filed at any time;
- If only the person filing for the divorce (the plaintiff) is a resident of Alabama and the other spouse (the defendant) lives in another state, the plaintiff must have been a resident of Alabama for at least six months immediately before filing for the divorce; or
- If only the defendant is a resident of Alabama but the person filing for divorce (the plaintiff) lives in another state, a divorce can be filed at any time.1
1 Ala. Code § 30-2-5
¿Cuáles son las causales (razones) para un divorcio en Alabama?
Grounds are legally acceptable reasons for a divorce. A divorce in Alabama may be granted for any of the following reasons:
- your spouse cheats on you (adultery);
- your spouse has abandoned you for a period of at least one year immediately before filing for divorce;
- your spouse is imprisoned for two years and the sentence is seven years or longer;
- your spouse has committed a “crime against nature, whether with mankind or beast,” either before or after getting married;
- your spouse becomes addicted to alcohol, opium, morphine, cocaine, or a similar drug after getting married;
- the judge determines that you and your spouse are completely incompatible and can no longer live together;
- your spouse has been confined to a mental hospital for five years in a row and, according to the director of the mental hospital, s/he is incurably insane;
- there has been a complete breakdown of the marriage and reconciliation is impractical or pointless and not in the best interest of the spouses or the children;
- the husband files for divorce because he did not know that the wife was pregnant at the time of the marriage and he is not the father of the child;
- your spouse has committed an act of violence that threatens your life or health or when his/her conduct creates a reasonable fear of such violence;
- when the wife has lived separate and apart from the husband without any financial support for a period of two years before filing for divorce and the wife has resided in Alabama during that time;1 or
- at the time of the marriage, your spouse was impotent, which is explained in the law as “physically and incurably incapacitated from entering into the marriage state”.2
1 Ala. Code § 30-2-1
2 Ala. Code § 30-2-1(a)(1); see Anonymous, 89 Ala. 291, 7 So. 100 (1890)
Can I get temporary alimony while the divorce is pending?
The judge can award temporary alimony (spousal support) during the divorce proceedings. The judge may consider the following factors:
- the financial situation of you and your spouse;
- the standard of living that was established during the marriage;1
- the earning ability of each spouse;
- the probable future prospects, such as possibilities for success, advancement, etc.;
- the age, sex, and social position (station in life) of each spouse;
- length of the marriage; and
- conduct of the parties as it relates to the cause for the divorce.2
This temporary alimony could be ordered throughout the time that it takes to finalize the divorce.1
1 Ala. Code § 30-2-50
2 See Chancellor v. Chancellor, 288 So. 2d 794 (1974)
Can I get alimony once the divorce is finalized?
Alimony is financial support paid by one spouse to another. Depending on various factors, alimony can be granted once the divorce is finalized.1 The alimony can be payable in one lump sum, by installments, or by a combination of the two.2 The judge will consider different factors depending on the type of payments to be order, but in general s/he will consider:
- the length of the marriage;
- the age, health, and social position (station in life) of each spouse;
- each spouse’s future prospects, such as possibilities for success, advancement, etc.;
- the source, value, and type of property owned by each spouse;
- the standard of living during the marriage and potential to maintain that standard; and
- the fault of the spouses related to the cause for the divorce, when appropriate.3
Alimony will be terminated once the spouse who receives alimony has remarried or is openly “cohabitating” with a romantic partner of the same sex or opposite sex. Cohabitation involves the couple taking on marital rights, duties, and obligations even though they are not married.4
1 See generally Ala. Code §§ 30-2-51; 30-2-52
2 See, for example, Madden v. Madden, 399 So.2d 304 (1981)
3 See Currie v. Currie, 550 So.2d 423, 425 (Ala.Civ.App.1989)
4 Ala. Code § 30-2-55
¿Cuáles son los pasos básicos para obtener un divorcio?
Las leyes de divorcio son diferentes por estado. Sin embargo, le proporcionamos los pasos básicos para obtener un divorcio:
- Primero, es necesario que cumpla los requisitos de residencia del estado en el que desea presentar la solicitud.
- Segundo, tiene que tener “bases” o “causales” (una razón legalmente válida) para ponerle fin a su matrimonio.
- Tercero, debe llenar la petición de divorcio y enviarle copias de los papeles a su esposo/a.
- Cuarto, si su esposo/a no está de acuerdo con lo mencionado en los papeles de divorcio, éste/a tendrá la oportunidad de contestar la petición y tener así la oportunidad de presentar los papeles desde su punto de vista. This is called “contesting the divorce.” In this case, you will have to attend a series of court appearances to sort the issues out. If your spouse does not disagree with anything, s/he should sign the papers and send them back to you and/or the court. This is called an “uncontested divorce.” Si después de un tiempo su esposo/a no ha firmado ningún papel o solicitado nada con respecto al divorcio, puede que usted pueda proseguir con el proceso de divorcio solo/a. Usted debe hablar con un/a abogado/a en su estado sobre cuánto tiempo tiene que esperar para ver si su esposo/a firmó antes de proceder con el divorcio.
- Quinto, de existir alguna propiedad que debe ser dividida o si llegase a necesitar apoyo económico de su esposo/a, tendrá entonces que arreglar estos detalles ya sea mediante un acuerdo fuera de la corte o bien con una serie de audiencias en la corte. La custodia puede ser determinada como parte de su divorcio.
¿Dónde puedo encontrar más información sobre el divorcio en Alabama?
The Alabama State Bar has information about the “legal aspects of divorce,” including information on property settlement.
You can find the form to file a divorce complaint and the form to answer a divorce complaint on the Alabama Courts website.
WomensLaw.org no tiene ninguna relación con las organizaciones arriba mencionadas y no puede garantizar la información provista en sus páginas. Le proveemos estos enlaces para su información solamente.
En nuestra página general de Divorcio, encontrará más información sobre este proceso, incluyendo los riesgos de llevarse a los/as menores fuera del estado mientras el divorcio está en proceso. Para ver vídeos cortos en español sobre el divorcio, puede ir a nuestra página de Vídeos. Finalmente, para aprender más sobre el proceso en la corte, puede ir a nuestra página de Preparándose para la Corte - Por su Cuenta.
