HB590 Alabama 2010 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Phil Williams

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2010

Title

Alimony, payments limited to five years or to length of the marriage whichever is the greater length of time, Sec. 30-2-55 am'd.

Summary

HB590 would cap alimony payments at five years or the length of the marriage (whichever is greater) and keep the rule that alimony ends if the recipient remarries or cohabits, without requiring reimbursement of any past alimony.

What This Bill Does

It amends alimony rules to set a maximum payment period. The cap is the greater of five years or the marriage length. Alimony would still end if the recipient remarries or openly cohabits with someone of the opposite sex, and previous alimony payments would not have to be reimbursed. The change applies to divorce decrees issued before or after April 28, 1978, and would take effect on the first day of the third month after passage or governor approval.

Who It Affects

• Former spouses who are ordered to pay alimony: will face a maximum duration for payments determined by the length of the marriage (five years if the marriage was short, or the full marriage length if it was longer). Courts would need to modify existing orders to reflect this cap; the alimony could end earlier or later depending on the marriage length.
• Former spouses who receive alimony (and their families): may see changes in how long they receive support; if their marriage was short, support could be capped at five years, while longer marriages could allow longer payments, all subject to the remarriage/cohabitation rule; past alimony payments would not be reimbursed.

Key Provisions

• Amends Section 30-2-55 to cap alimony payments at five years or the length of the marriage, whichever is greater.
• Maintains the termination rule that alimony ends upon remarriage or open cohabitation with a member of the opposite sex.
• Applies the new cap to divorce decrees issued any time (before or after April 28, 1978), with no requirement to reimburse alimony already paid.
• Effective date: becomes law on the first day of the third month after passage and governor approval (or otherwise as law).

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 25, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Family Law