Well-known football player Terrell Owens is back in the news after additional information has surfaced surrounding his secretive wedding to a postal worker. Owens, who has played in Maryland during his National Football League career, wed the woman in January after having kept a tight lid on the nature of their relationship. Just days after the wedding, the woman accused Owens of marrying her solely so he could seek financing for an expensive home. Now, the couple is formally dissolving their marriage. They were married for less than a week.
Even though the woman claims that she was targeted by Owens because of her financial holdings, she is still seeking alimony through the divorce proceedings. The woman is seeking compensation for all of her legal fees, and she also wants an unreleased amount of money for alimony. Further, the woman reportedly intends to contest the football player’s claim that the couple did not acquire any property together. It is not clear what kind of community property she could be referencing.
Alimony payments are generally provided for ex-spouses whose life paths have been altered because of a marriage. For example, a spouse that stays at home with the children might need alimony after a divorce in order to get back into the working lifestyle. Large gaps in a resume can cause significant hardship and barriers to future success. Further, the couple is considered to have worked together to earn the community property, so both partners deserve a share of their financial gains.
In this case, the woman claims that Owens married her for her money, so it is not clear whether her alimony claim will have much traction. Clients who are seeking alimony may benefit from discussing this decision with a Maryland attorney. Some specific legal strategies may prove useful in the fight for spousal support.
Source: Larry Brown Sports, “Terrell Owens’ estranged wife Rachel Snider seeking alimony” Steve DelVecchio, Mar. 07, 2014
