When most of us think about spousal support after a divorce, we assume that women are the ones seeking support. However, former talk show host Ricki Lake's divorce from second husband Christian Evans illustrates that societal attitudes towards alimony are changing.
When she filed for divorce this October from Evans, a jewelry designer, Lake offered to pay spousal support. The couple were married in April 2012 in a secret ceremony in Southern California, but had been dating since the summer of 2009.
Evans and Lake have no children together, but Lake has two sons, Milo and Owen with her first husband, illustrator Rob Sussman.
With an estimated net worth of $15 million, Lake was clearly the breadwinner in her relationship with Evans. The exact details of her offer to Evans are unknown, but she may be willing to voluntarily pay spousal support in an effort to speed up the divorce process or to end things on amicable terms. With celebrity divorces, there's certainly an incentive to try to keep personal details out of the media.
If you're a man thinking about seeking spousal support from your wife, you should discuss this issue with your divorce attorney. Gender does not factor into spousal support awards, so there is no reason why you would be unable to receive spousal support if your wife was the primary breadwinner in the relationship. California's community property laws recognize that unpaid work such as running a household and caring for children has just as much value as paid work outside the home.
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Please call our office at (626) 683-8113 or email us at info@PasadenaLawOffice.com if you are in need of legal representation during your divorce. Our Pasadena divorce attorneys can help you obtain a fair settlement so you're free to move on to the next stage of your life.