Q: Can the court award a financed car in my name alone to my spouse and require me to pay for it?
I have an almost new car that is financed in my name alone. My wife currently drives the car because she totaled hers last year. I drive a paid off pickup, but originally purchased the car as my sole transportation. She cannot refinance the car in her name, as her credit is very poor. She also cannot afford to make the payments on the car, maintain it, nor afford the required insurance. I’ve offered to give her the truck outright but she doesn’t want it because it’s older and uses quite a bit of gas.
What can the court order here?
I’ll also add that the reason for the divorce is her being physically abusive to our children and she is currently under investigation for it. Not sure if that’s relevant.
A: The answer to your question is yes. The court can order you to pay for the car. Whether the judge does or not depends on a variety of factors. If she is abusive and you have custody of the children, it's less likely you'll have to give her the non paid off car. Consult an attorney in your area who can give you advice based on the full picture.
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