Minnesota family law allows a court to order the other spouse to make payments for their support. This is separate from child support.The paying spouse must wait at least 12 months after the initial support order to ask for a review based on cohabitation. Spousal maintenance is most prevalent in Minnesota after a long-term marriage ends, especially when children are involved. The forms provided in this packet should only be used for court orders that were issued in the state of Minnesota. Under Minnesota law, however, there are some limitations on qualifying for spousal support. To qualify for spousal support, you must: 1. Spousal maintenance is the scariest, most difficult part of Minnesota divorce law for divorcing spouses. The statutes have not previously provided guidelines for spousal maintenance. When spousal support, also known as spousal maintenance or alimony, is court-ordered, it must be paid.