$750,000 Spousal Support Award

The Case

Our client dedicated 22 years of her life to supporting her husband's career as a corporate executive in Sacramento. She put her own career ambitions on hold to raise their four children, manage the household, and serve as the backbone of the family while her husband climbed the corporate ladder to a $450,000 annual salary.

When her husband filed for divorce, he hired a team of aggressive attorneys who argued that spousal support should be minimal and temporary, claiming our client was capable of immediately re-entering the workforce at a comparable salary. They also attempted to hide stock options, deferred compensation, and bonus structures worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Our Strategy

Attorney James Mitchell recognized this as a classic case of financial manipulation in a high-asset divorce. We immediately retained a forensic accountant to trace all marital assets, including the hidden stock options and deferred compensation. We subpoenaed corporate records, tax returns, and financial statements going back ten years.

We also engaged a vocational expert who testified that after 22 years out of the workforce, our client could not reasonably be expected to earn more than $45,000 per year — a far cry from the $150,000 the opposing counsel was claiming. We presented evidence of the standard of living during the marriage, including luxury vacations, private school tuition, and country club memberships.

The Outcome

The court awarded our client permanent spousal support of $12,500 per month — totaling over $750,000 in the first five years alone, with the support continuing indefinitely given the length of the marriage. The judge also ordered retroactive support payments and awarded our client 60% of the marital estate after the hidden assets were uncovered, resulting in an additional $1.2 million in property division.

Our client now has the financial stability to pursue her passion for teaching, volunteer work, and enjoy her well-deserved independence.