贍養費追討或變更申請 Recover Maintenance against Spouse / Variation in Maintenance Level

 贍養費追討或變更申請

很多夫婦認為完成離婚程序後便解決所有瓜葛；實際上，如法庭命令其中一方支付另一方贍養費，而之後有拖欠贍養費的情況出現，雙方便有機會再對簿公堂。

一般而言，要向對方追討贍養費，可考慮向法庭申請判決傳票，或扣押入息命令。前者要求對方出庭，並在宣誓後接受有關其經濟狀況的訊問。如配偶未有充分理由而未能付款，法庭則有權根據《婚姻訴訟規則》發出新的付款命令或判其入獄。至於扣押入息命令是按《婚姻法律程序與財產條例》發出，條件是法庭信納配偶無合理理由而未有付款，法庭有合理理由相信配偶不會準時付款，或雙方同意法庭發出該命令。如配偶的任何入息可作扣押，法庭便會從中扣押相當於贍養費命令的全部或部分款項，並由配偶的收入來源（通常為其僱主）付款。

由於贍養費付款期可能持續數年，期間雙方可因應經濟情況轉變而申請更改原有法庭命令，從而調整贍養費。例如付款一方轉職，而新工作的薪酬較以前低，他便可申請下調贍養費。為避免長遠的法律程序，雙方可同意逐年按百分比，或政府訂立的通脹指數調整贍養費。

Recover Maintenance against Spouse / Variation in Maintenance Level

Many may think a divorce can settle all the matters in a marriage, but if the court issues a maintenance order and the wife/husband failed to make payment, the parties may have to meet at Court again.

There are generally two ways to recover maintenance against a spouse: applying for a judgment summons, or an attachment of income. The former allows the Court to summon the spouse and reveal his financial situation. If he cannot give a justification, the Court has the power to make a new order for payment or send the spouse to jail according to the Matrimonial Causes Rules. The Matrimonial Proceedings and Property Ordinance states that, an attachment of income can be ordered if the Court is satisfied that the payer has failed to make payment without reasonable excuse, with reasonable grounds believes the payer will not make full and punctual payment, or both parties agree to the making of this order. If any payer’s income payable is capable of being attached, the Court may order this income to be attached to the whole or part of the amount payable, and direct payment shall be made by the payer’s sources of income (usually his employer).

As the period of maintenance may last for several years, either party can apply for variation in maintenance level according to changes in financial circumstances. For example, when the payer changes job and his new salary is lower, he may apply for a reduction. To avoid legal proceedings in a long run, the parties can agree to adjust maintenance annually by a certain percentage or in line with the government’s inflation measuring index.