The authority of a judge to award alimony in a Florida divorce action, and to modify any alimony award thereafter, is controlled by Florida Statute § 61.08 (the alimony statute) and its defining case law. For a number of years, there has been a consistent effort by the Florida legislature to modify the alimony statute in ways that, in general, weaken alimony claims. 2012 was no exception, with proposed changes to the statute passing both houses of the legislature, only to be vetoed by the governor on the last day of the 2012 legislative session. Proponents of the new alimony proposals have vowed to continue their fight to modify the alimony statute next year.
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