Wife’s Alimony: Debt or Obligation

Many jurists have considered the wife’s alimony to be among the secondary rules and explained its difference with the alimony of the relatives based on the distinction of the concepts “debt” and “obligation”. This theory is raised and accepted by most legal experts. They have regarded the marriage as the basis of the alimony as a debt. The author believes that although marriage is the basis of alimony as an obligation, the reason for changing of this obligation into a debt is the refusal of the husband of payment of the alimony and transformation of its nature into a contractual responsibility. Accordingly, the wife even as regards the current alimony is not the owner of the debt of the husband and the latter’s obligation depending on the type of the subject of the alimony is the obligation of gift or permission of possession. Thus, such issues as the guarantee of the future alimony, transfer of the current alimony as a whole either as an obligation or its permissibility are all essentially baseless in view of the denial of their subject. The findings of this study can influence in judicial opinions, because if the alimony is considered to be a contractual obligation and not a debt, by demonstration of insolvency and force majeure as a basis for refusal of payment, the current alimony will not turn to a debt and wife can use other legal solution to redress damage and even can assume the duty of disburse on commonwealth shoulders.