Justice Federal Court specifies conditions for alimony after divorce
In a landmark decision, the Federal Supreme Court has clarified what is considered a life-long marriage from the perspective of divorce law and how this affects the duration of maintenance payments.
03.06.2026, 12:00
SDA
In this particular case, a couple from the canton of St. Gallen divorced after almost 18 years of marriage. The relationship produced three children. The wife, now around 50 years old, gave up her job as a sales assistant due to a chronic illness a good two years before the children were born. According to the disability insurance, she is only 15 percent able to work.
While the husband provided the financial income, the wife took care of the household and the children. The Federal Supreme Court confirmed that the husband must pay maintenance to his ex-wife until his retirement age. This was a so-called life-defining marriage. The wife was unable to reintegrate into the labor market due to her age, the long time she had been out of the working world and her health.
