Common Law Marriage, I lived with my girlfriend in Texas for 7 years. We moved to CA about 2 years ago. Know we are breaking up, I'm giving her half of hour assets but she is being told by a lawyer that she should get support also. Is she entitled to ...

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Common Law Marriage, I lived with my girlfriend in Texas for 7 years. We moved to CA about 2 years ago. Know we are breaking up, I'm giving her half of hour assets but she is being told by a lawyer that she should get support also. Is she entitled to support?

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The state that you file for

The state that you file for divorce determines the divorce law that applies to your case. While California and Texas are both community property states, both states also recognize the necessity of awarding spousal support. For example, in California a judge considers what each of the spouses are able to earn to maintain a standard of living similar to the one they grew accustomed to during the marriage. The judge examines the skills of the spouse asking for support and the job market available for those skills. In addition, the judge will consider time spent out of the workforce if a spouse devoted time to maintain the household or raising children instead of advancing his career. The court will also consider the length of the marriage. For more information about how a court determines whether to award spousal support, see http://www.courts.ca.gov/1038.htm. In addition, read http://www.freelegalaid.com/nav/california/divorce-and-family-law/article/alimonyspousal-support-california for additional information about spousal support in California.

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The state that you file for

The state that you file for divorce determines the divorce law that applies to your case. While California and Texas are both community property states, both states also recognize the necessity of awarding spousal support. For example, in California a judge considers what each of the spouses are able to earn to maintain a standard of living similar to the one they grew accustomed to during the marriage. The judge examines the skills of the spouse asking for support and the job market available for those skills. In addition, the judge will consider time spent out of the workforce if a spouse devoted time to maintain the household or raising children instead of advancing his career. The court will also consider the length of the marriage. For more information about how a court determines whether to award spousal support, see http://www.courts.ca.gov/1038.htm. In addition, read http://www.freelegalaid.com/nav/california/divorce-and-family-law/article/alimonyspousal-support-california for additional information about spousal support in California.