Cox v. Cox

762 A.2d 1040 (2000)

Purchase the Printed Copy at bsmsphd.com

Nature of the Case

To access this section all you need to do is click here and register.

Facts

W and Harry (H) were married for 22 years. H worked as a crane operator earning approximately $120,000 per year in gross salary, including regular overtime, or approximately $7,800 per month net of taxes and other mandated deductions. After their child completed the first grade, W returned to work and earned approximately $13,000 to $14,000 per year working at various part-time jobs. In 1989, W began attending Rutgers University and earned her undergraduate degree in 1995. She earned approximately $6,000 a year while going to school. W enrolled in law school and obtained a law degree in 1998. She incurred $100,000 in debt and did not work. W failed the bar 3 times, and while earning $33,000 at a law firm, she was terminated. W rented an apartment for work. During the marriage, H worked approximately eighty to ninety hours per week. At the time of trial, he earned $25 per hour but claimed that the mental and physical stress of the job has started to take a toll on his health. The judge found that this was a long-term marriage, and there was a substantial disparity between the parties' incomes. The judge ordered limited duration alimony in the amount of $200 per week for a period of five years 'to enable W to establish herself as an attorney.' The judge also ordered that the award is to be reviewed in two years. W appealed.