New Ohio Supreme Court ruling on spousal support (aka “alimony”).

The Supreme Court of Ohio has recently ruled that parties (husband and wife) to a divorce decree cannot modify the spousal support (i.e. alimony) provisions of the divorce decree unless the party seeking the modification can prove that there is a “substantial” (vs. minor) change in the financial circumstances of the parties - and that the change must be a change that was not contemplated by the parties at the time the divorce decree was issued. See http://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/rod/docs/pdf/0/2009/2009-Ohio-1222.pdf . Thought: The Court was sending a clear message that it wants the parties (and their lawyers) to thoroughly think through their spousal support issues at the time of the divorce, and not come knocking if there has been a post-decree minor change in their lives. So break out those crystal balls if you have them.