Houston International Alimony Attorneys

Experienced in International Spousal Maintenance Disputes

When parties file for divorce across country borders, it can change how certain processes, such as spousal maintenance (also called alimony), get handled. You need a lawyer by your side that understands how to deal with family law disputes across country borders to obtain the best outcome in your case. Our Houston international alimony lawyers will work with you to navigate your case.

To schedule a consultation with our team, contact us online or via phone at (713) 766-5355.

How Does Alimony Work in International Divorces?

Like other international divorce-related processes, the alimony arrangement you obtain largely depends on which court can claim jurisdiction over your divorce. We cover the requirements you need to meet to file for divorce in Texas on our international and expat divorce pages.

If you file for divorce in Texas and a Texas court does claim jurisdiction over your case, the court will use Texas Family Code to establish your alimony arrangement. That means you can either work with your spouse to present the court with an alimony agreement or rely on the court to develop one on your behalf through litigation.

The alimony arrangement should follow the same guidelines as general alimony plans developed in other Texas divorces.

How Do I Enforce an Alimony Plan Internationally?

While establishing alimony may not be too difficult, many people run into more issues when attempting to enforce an international alimony arrangement after one party fails to uphold their end of the spousal support order.

All 50 U.S. states are engaged in the Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA), which enables individuals to support family law orders across state lines. Fortunately, UIFSA can also be used in many situations to enforce an existing alimony arrangement internationally thanks to the presence of similar legislation in other countries. Countries including Australia, Canada, Germany, Mexico, and the U.K. regularly work with U.S. courts to enforce alimony orders across international borders.

However, enforcing an international alimony order may take more time than enforcing a domestic one. A few factors that can play into the time it takes to enforce international alimony include:

• How difficult it is to find the individual accused of reneging on the alimony terms;
• How much dialogue the U.S. and international court need to have;
• What evidence exists in the case and how each court interprets said evidence;
• Whether any differences in family law code impact the case.

If you're seeking an international alimony order, you need an attorney at your side who's experienced in international law and can help you navigate your case with confidence. Look no further than our Houston international alimony attorneys. We have received global recognition as the 2022 Matrimonial Law Firm of the Year for Texas by The Lawyer Network.

At Diggs & Sadler, we have decades of experienced helping clients handle complex and international cases. Contact us online or via phone at (713) 766-5355 to learn more.