Worcester, Massachusetts, residents may be familiar with ex-football player Kordell Stewart. The former quarterback is now making the headlines once again, not on a football field, but in divorce court.
Stewart was ordered to pay temporary alimony to his estranged wife, Porsha Williams. This comes on the heels of Stewart refusing to pay spousal support since he considers his wife able-bodied and capable of earning her own money. Additionally, he stated that a prenuptial agreement was previously signed and, therefore, he does not owe her any money.
Eventually, the court decided that the former football player should pay temporary alimony of $5,000 a month for the next three months. Moreover, the court ordered that he return his ex-spouse’s property or reimburse her for the expense of placing her possessions in a storage unit.
Nonetheless, Stewart was still awarded exclusive rights to the couple’s home. The couple got married in May 2011. In March 2012, Stewart filed for divorce from Williams after citing that the marriage was irreversibly broken. He also claimed that his ex-spouse was neglectful of her stepson.
The issue of spousal support can be challenging, especially with couples who are clearly at odds, and who own a large amount of assets. Regardless, the importance of spousal support should not be underestimated as the monthly payments can be of immense help in the transition period for an ex-spouse, who has been a stay-at-home parent or who has a low income. Alimony is also a means to fund education and training for the ex-spouse to garner better employment opportunities and eventually become financially self-sufficient.
In Massachusetts, determining factors of alimony include the number of children the divorcing couples has, properties, both individually owned and marital property, income, earning capacity as well as length of marriage. While this may all seem straightforward to divorcing Worcester couples, it can get confusing, which is why significant legal guidance may be necessary.
Source: The Inquisitr, “Kordel Stewart Ordered To Pay Porsha Williams Temporary Spousal Support,” June 20, 2013.
