Actor has huge monthly alimony obligation to estranged wife

Many residents of Jefferson, Kentucky, know that courts do not always approve alimony in divorce cases. Most of the time, the court grants alimony only if a divorce has a great economic impact on one spouse. Spouses who have been out of the workforce for a long time and chose to stay at home to take care of the children are usually awarded with spousal support. However, if a spouse has a successful career in the entertainment industry, such a factor plays a huge role in seeking spousal support upon a divorce.

Take, for example, the ongoing divorce case of Columbus Short, actor of the hit television series, "Scandal." Short recently made headlines after the court ruled in favor of his estranged wife, Tanee McCall, following his failure to appear at a court hearing. According to the report, the court awarded the woman a huge spousal support settlement during the court hearing, which amounted to $17,000 in monthly spousal support for his soon-to-be ex-wife, as well as $4,542 in monthly child support for his daughter. Reportedly, the fact that neither the actor nor his divorce lawyer showed up in court may have influenced the judge's decision.

The actor's estranged wife filed for divorce on September, 2013. She also filed a restraining order against him after Short allegedly threatened to kill her during a heated argument at their home. Short was subsequently ordered to move out of their marital home. The star also was accused of violating the restraining order, after Short allegedly broke into the marital home.

Regardless of the controversy surrounding a divorce case, both divorcing parties should take all court dates seriously. Failure to appear in court may lead to undesirable or unreasonable outcomes during the divorce proceedings.