San Francisco Family Law Blog

In the latest buzz from stardom's divorce scene, two good issues are put forward into the minds of the public: 1) spousal support, and 2) date of separation.
Sadly, I do not know very much about Mr. Lachey and Ms. Simpson other than I think Ms. Simpson is a singer and they had some TV show together. Fortunately however, this blog is here to discuss family law not gossip. So, what is this issue of spousal support? The purpose of spousal support is to maintain the standards of living of the parties to the level they enjoyed while they were married. It is typically not very long lasting, most often half the length of the marriage, and its additional purpose is to allow the supported spouse to become self-sustaining. Being as well known as the couple is, I presume they were pretty well off, and making a demand for some support is likely to win the day, provided there is a disparity in incomes. Because the marriage lasted 3 years, it is likely to last for 1 1/2 years (half the length of the marriage).
The issue of date of separation may have a very large impact on this case. California is a community property state and all assets earned during marriage are community assets. If, for example Ms. Simpson earned a significant sum during the period between November 23 and December 13, then that income would still be community income and on dissolution Mr. Lachey would be entitled to half of it.