40-4-203. Maintenance. (1) In a proceeding for dissolution of marriage or legal separation or a proceeding for maintenance following dissolution of the marriage by a court that lacked personal jurisdiction over the absent spouse, the court may grant a maintenance order for either spouse only if it finds that the spouse seeking maintenance:
(a) lacks sufficient property to provide for the spouse's reasonable needs; and
(b) is unable to be self-supporting through appropriate employment or is the custodian of a child whose condition or circumstances make it appropriate that the custodian not be required to seek employment outside the home.
(2) The maintenance order must be in amounts and for periods of time that the court considers just, without regard to marital misconduct, and after considering all relevant facts, including:
(a) the financial resources of the party seeking maintenance, including marital property apportioned to that party, and the party's ability to meet the party's needs independently, including the extent to which a provision for support of a child living with the party includes a sum for that party as custodian;
(b) the time necessary to acquire sufficient education or training to enable the party seeking maintenance to find appropriate employment;
(c) the standard of living established during the marriage;
(d) the duration of the marriage;
(e) the age and the physical and emotional condition of the spouse seeking maintenance; and
(f) the ability of the spouse from whom maintenance is sought to meet the spouse's own needs while meeting those of the spouse seeking maintenance.
(3) The court shall seal any qualified domestic relations order, as defined in section 414(p) of the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. 414(p), that is issued under this part except for access by the pension plan administrator of the plan for which benefits are being distributed by the order, the child support enforcement division, the parties, and each party's counsel of record.
History: En. 48-322 by Sec. 22, Ch. 536, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 48-322; amd. Sec. 1578, Ch. 56, L. 2009; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 88, L. 2013.
Structure Montana Code Annotated
Chapter 4. Termination of Marriage, Child Custody, Support
Part 2. Support, Custody, Visitation, and Related Provisions
40-4-201. Separation agreement
40-4-202. Division of property
40-4-204. Child support -- orders to address health insurance -- withholding of child support
40-4-206. Payment of maintenance or support to court -- handling fee of clerk
40-4-209. Security or guaranty to secure support
40-4-210. Child support jurisdiction -- nonresident individual
40-4-211. Jurisdiction -- commencement of parenting proceedings
40-4-212. Best interest of child
40-4-213. Interim parenting plan
40-4-215. Investigations and reports
40-4-217. Notice of intent to move
40-4-218. Judicial supervision
40-4-219. Amendment of parenting plan -- mediation
40-4-221. Determination of child's care upon death of parent
40-4-225. Access to records by parent
40-4-226. Court-sanctioned educational program on effects of dissolution of marriage on children
40-4-227. Rights of parents and children -- policy -- findings
40-4-228. Parenting and visitation matters between natural parent and third party
40-4-229. through 40-4-232 reserved
40-4-233. Final parenting plan -- purpose and objectives
40-4-234. Final parenting plan criteria
40-4-235. through 40-4-250 reserved
40-4-252. Preliminary declaration of disclosure -- penalty
40-4-255. Noncomplying disclosure declarations -- requests to comply -- remedies