Alimony reform is upon us. Last year, Massachusetts dramatically changed its alimony laws. Alimony legislation has been proposed in Florida and New Jersey. Three years ago, New York adopted guidelines for temporary alimony.
Two bills which would modernize alimony have been proposed in Connecticut during the legislature’s last two sessions. Connecticut’s Legislative Review Commission has constituted an Alimony Study Committee, whose work is underway. A look at alimony in Connecticut, historically and currently, may help to inform alimony reform. Alimony’s origins trace to the English system, under which originally absolute divorce required an act of Parliament and was, as a result, unusual. In cases of absolute divorce, because a husband retained control of his wife’s property, he also retained the obligation to support her. That obligation carried over into more modern times.
