This bill amends existing alimony laws to restrict the awarding of term and reimbursement alimony solely to divorce cases where the decree is granted in favor of the "innocent party" under fault grounds, specifically outlined in RSA 458:7. The introductory paragraphs of RSA 458:19-a, I and RSA 458:19-a, V are modified to reflect this change, indicating that alimony can no longer be awarded in cases of irreconcilable differences. Additionally, a new paragraph (VII) is added to clarify that these provisions will not apply retroactively to any divorce decrees that include alimony granted on the grounds of irreconcilable differences.

The bill also establishes that any requests for term or reimbursement alimony must be made before the final decree is effective, with a specific timeframe of five years for term alimony requests. The intent behind these changes is to ensure that alimony awards are limited to cases where fault is established, thereby eliminating the possibility of such awards in no-fault divorce situations. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 193-I:2