Hope in Massachusetts for Lifetime Alimony Reform

The Alliance For Freedom From Alimony, Inc. whose efforts originated in Florida has been leading the fight for the reform of the lifetime alimony laws around the country. Local chapters are being established in various cities to bring awareness to the public of the injustices of the family law system.

The Alliance has encouraged, supported and assisted many people who have been abused by the system. Stories of some of these victims can be found in a related blog "Alimony Slaves in America."

They have challenged the constitutionality of the states statues that govern the granting of alimony on the premise that they violate the Right of Privacy in matters relating to marriage and the Separation of Powers that arise from the judges having so much discretion to grant alimony owing from the lack of guidelines from which to make equitable rulings that they are, in effect, creating the law from the bench. Law-making is the realm of the legislature and not the judiciary.

More about the above arguments used in the legal filings can be found in the earlier archives of this blog approx. February. 2007

Progress by the Alliance's Chapter in Massachusetts is being made with their legislative efforts to reform the alimony laws.

Below is a copy of an email relating the encouraging news:

Hello My Fellow Alimony Victims,

There is hope! Many of you know that Massachusetts has an active Alimony Reform Group. We were successful in getting new Legislation filed for the 2009 session and unbelievably, our lobbying efforts has resulted in almost 40 co-sponsors. We have been told that obtaining this many co-sponsors if unprecedented and gives the legislation much more weight. A few of the major points of the legislation is NO lifetime, the alimony, alimony recipient MUST make efforts to be self supportive or lose their alimony, co-habitation stops alimony and second spouses income is excluded.

When Massachusetts is successful in getting this legislation passed (hopefully within the year) it will be a national precedent which should put pressure on the FL and all legislative bodies to at least take alimony issues seriously.

Keep the MA effort in your thoughts and I will keep you updated on our progress.

Deb Scanlan
Second Wife's Club
Massachusetts Alimony Reform

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