Alimony as Done in Spain

Ivana Moral and her ex-husband were married for 25 years.  Recently, a Spanish judge ordered Moral’s ex-husband to pay her $215,000.00 as compensation for 25 years of housework handled by Moral throughout the couple’s marriage.   

 

Moral won the judgment after arguing before the Spanish judge that she had been burdened with chores and raising the couple’s two daughters while her husband built a successful gym business.  Moral argued she was exclusively dedicated to the home and family while her husband continued to build his career, accumulating and increasing his assets.  Moral also argued that the 25 years of marriage left her feeling “economically threatened, worthless, and dependent.”   

 

Moral is to receive the compensation from her ex-husband in monthly installments.  The court ordered Moral’s ex-husband to make monthly payments to Moral in the amount of $528.00.  The court ordered this amount after calculating the minimum monthly wage for housekeepers throughout the years of the couple’s marriage.   

 

The $528.00 monthly payments Moral is receiving from her ex-husband is akin to alimony in North Carolina.  The alimony statute in North Carolina can be found in N.C.G.S. § 50-16.3A.  Pursuant to the statute, if a party is entitled to alimony, the Court can use a number of factors to determine the amount and duration of alimony to award to the dependent spouse.  The statute specifically lists 16 factors; however, this list is not exhaustive, and the Court is able to use additional factors depending on the circumstances of the case.  Such factors include:  

 

• The contribution by one spouse to the education, training, or increased earning power of the other spouse; and 
• The contribution of a spouse as homemaker.   

 

Although Moral’s case was not decided by a Court in North Carolina, Moral’s argument would have aligned closely with the factors mentioned above for a judge in North Carolina to reach a similar conclusion as the Spanish judge.