Does adultery affect spousal support in PA?

Adultery can affect your ability to receive alimony. … However, today, no one can sue or prosecute you for adultery in Pennsylvania. Additionally, Pennsylvania law specifically prohibits the court from considering marital misconduct when dividing a couple’s marital property.

Does cheating impact spousal support?

Cheating doesn’t change a former spouse’s entitlement to support.

Does adultery affect divorce in Pennsylvania?

Although you can file for no-fault divorce in Pennsylvania, adultery is still a ground for a fault divorce. In a no-fault divorce, neither spouse is required to prove that the other spouse did something wrong. … Grounds for fault divorce include adultery, cruelty, desertion, and conviction of a crime or incarceration.

What rights do I have if my wife cheated on me in Pennsylvania?

Under Pennsylvania law, once a husband or wife commits adultery, he or she is not entitled to receive spousal support or alimony. If you believe your spouse has been cheating on you and you don’t want to pay alimony, you’ll have to prove the existence of the affair.

Can a wife get alimony if she cheated?

Cheating does not affect spousal support awards in California. … Unlike some mixed states that allow fault and no-fault divorce, California family court judges are NOT concerned with marital misconduct. Spousal support can be awarded during and after a divorce, however, it is not automatic.

Should you contact the person your spouse is cheating with?

Getting involved in that person’s life by contacting his or her spouse only complicates your situation. … His or her spouse may be fully aware of the affair, and may in fact be having his or her own affair. The last thing you need is more drama. You have enough to deal with.

Does a cheating spouse get half?

This means they are likely to be awarded one half of the matrimonial assets unless your respective ‘needs’ mean that an unequal split is necessary. In some circumstances, in light of the parties’ respective needs, a cheating spouse will end up with more than half of the assets, at least in the short term.

What is a wife entitled to in a divorce in PA?

A spouse is entitled to alimony only if the court decides that alimony is “necessary.” To decide whether alimony is necessary, how much should be paid, and how long it should be paid, the court must consider many factors – including but not limited to the relative income and earning capacities of the parties, the ages …

Is it illegal to cheat on your spouse in PA?

Cheating in Pennsylvania is not a crime. But, there are many other real and significant ramifications that make adultery as serious as a crime. Adultery still counts as a civil matter for Pennsylvania divorce courts, and it is a heavily weighed factor in the divorce proceeding.

Is alimony mandatory in PA?

No, there is no entitlement to alimony in Pennsylvania. Instead, it’s purely discretionary with the court, and based on 17 factors listed in Section 3701 of the PA Divorce Code.


Can you go to jail for adultery in PA?

People who commit adultery in Pennsylvania can no longer be prosecuted for it. However, a spouse can still be considered at fault for a divorce because of their infidelity. The court may give the adulterer a smaller portion of the property as a result of their infidelity.

What is needed to prove adultery in a divorce?

To prove adultery via circumstantial evidence, one must show that the adulterous spouse had both the “disposition” to commit adultery and the “opportunity” to do so. Evidence of “disposition” includes photographs of the adulterous spouse and the other man or woman kissing or engaging in other acts of affection.

How long does spousal support last in PA?

Theoretically, spousal support can last indefinitely. It terminates when a couple reconciles, or it can convert into alimony pendente lite when a divorce complaint is filed. It would also terminate upon cohabitation by the recipient spouse, or death of either party.

Do judges care about adultery in divorce?

In a purely no-fault divorce state, like California, the court will not consider evidence of adultery, or any other kind of fault, when deciding whether to grant a divorce. … However, if your spouse was unfaithful in your marriage, the court may consider the misconduct in other aspects of the divorce.

How does infidelity affect divorce?

There are often many different reasons why a marriage may break down. Infidelity can be characterised in a multitude of ways. … This means that the court will not consider why or how the marriage broke down. This means infidelity plays no part in whether there are sufficient grounds to obtain a divorce.

How is alimony calculated?

Common methods for calculating spousal support typically take up to 40% of the paying spouse’s net income, which is calculated after child support. 50% of the recipient spouse’s net income is then subtracted from the total if he or she is working.