When a former spouse waited sixteen years to enforce an out-of-state alimony agreement, demanding over $400,000 and threatening jail time, our client needed more than a standard defense. He needed someone willing to dig deeper.
The client had relocated to Texas two years after his divorce and built a new life here, working for various employers and establishing Texas as his permanent home. Under the original alimony agreement from another state, payments were supposed to be reduced or eliminated once the ex-spouse found employment, but rather than address that issue promptly, the ex-spouse waited sixteen years before filing suit in Texas to collect.
Attorney Chris Spofford believed that such an extraordinary delay had to carry legal consequences. Drawing on his extensive litigation experience, Chris researched the issue and identified a statute of limitations provision that could apply to the enforcement of out-of-state alimony orders in Texas, a legal argument that is far from obvious and required careful analysis of appellate court opinions supporting its application.
Chris tried the case, and the court agreed. The judge found that the statute of limitations Chris identified, supported by appellate authority confirming it could be applied to an alimony order originating in another state, was applicable and dismissed the case entirely.
Our client walked away owing nothing.
