Minnesota courts decide divorce outcomes based on state statutes, prioritizing the best interests of children for custody and equitable factors for alimony, with recent 2024 updates providing clearer guidelines on spousal maintenance duration. Outcomes depend on case specifics like marriage length, incomes, and parenting history, often favoring agreements between spouses over court decisions.​
Child Custody
Minnesota distinguishes legal custody (major decisions like education and health) and physical custody (day-to-day care and residence), which can be sole or joint for either type. Courts evaluate 12 best-interests factors from Minn. Stat. § 518.17, including the child’s needs, parental health and care history, domestic abuse, child’s preference if mature, and co-parenting ability, without gender preference or presumption against joint custody unless abuse exists. Parenting time schedules aim to maximize both parents’ involvement unless unsafe, with detailed findings required on each factor.​
Spousal Maintenance (Alimony)
Courts award maintenance if one spouse lacks property or self-support ability to meet reasonable needs, considering marital standard of living (now adjusted if debt-funded per 2024 changes). Key factors under Minn. Stat. § 518.552 include marriage length, ages/health, incomes/earning capacity, education/skills, work history sacrifices, and retirement needs, without marital misconduct consideration. Awards can be temporary (during divorce), transitional, or indefinite; 2024 presumptions guide duration: none for <5-year marriages, up to half-length for 5-20 years, indefinite for 20+ years (all rebuttable).​
Court Decision Process
Spouses first attempt agreements on custody, alimony, property, and child support, which courts approve if fair and child-protective. Disagreements lead to judicial decisions after evidence review, temporary orders during proceedings, and final judgments emphasizing equity and children’s welfare. Modifications possible for substantial changes like income shifts or retirement, with stipulations able to limit future changes.​
