Spousal support (also known as alimony) is a court ordered payment from one spouse or domestic partner to help cover the other's monthly expenses. Your San Jose alimony lawyer can run calculations to get a better idea of how much you're eligible to receive.Types Of Alimony After Divorces In San Jose. Spousal support, also called alimony, is the payment that a court may order one spouse to pay another spouse when a couple gets divorced or separated. There are three types of spousal support: temporary, permanent, and lump sum. Alimony in California is called "spousal support. Earning spouse may have to pay a lowerearning spouse alimony after a divorce if he or she financially supported the spouse during their marriage. Our San Jose divorce attorney can help you understand California spousal support laws. Temporary Alimony: Provided during the divorce process. 2. Alimony (sometimes called spousal support) is meant to assist one spouse in maintaining the same lifestyle he or she had over the course of the marriage.