Debra L. Mason v. Charles F. Mason

Summary

The court held that the 2013 amendment mandating automatic termination of alimony upon full-time intimate cohabitation does not apply retroactively to an alimony award entered before the amendment. Because the circuit court terminated the award automatically under the amended statute rather than exercising discretion based on changed circumstances, the court remanded to the court of appeals to address the remaining merits and unaddressed issues. The dissent would have required rebriefing before the certified question was answered because the appellant's abstract and addendum omitted essential pleadings and hearing materials.