Spouses who are legally married must support each other for as long as they are married and both sides are alive. In New York State, a married person may file a petition in Family Court seeking spousal support from a current husband or wife.Spousal support is an amount of money that the court orders one spouse to pay to the other spouse for his or her reasonable needs. Free Consultation - Call 800.696. What are the requirements for obtaining spousal maintenance in New York? If you need financial support from your ex-spouse, you can ask for it during the divorce proceedings. A spouse can file a petition in New York Family Court for the other spouse to pay spousal support even if they have not yet filed for divorce. Fill out the contact form or call us at (516) 333-6555 to schedule your free consultation. Name Email Phone Message. Let our experienced spousal support attorneys of The Mandel Law Firm assist you in establishing fair and workable spousal support agreements.