Woman's cellmate named divorce cohabitant

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Dec. 11 (UPI) -- An attorney for an incarcerated woman said his client lost out on alimony from her Florida husband because a court ruled her cellmate is a cohabitant.

Attorney Steven Cripps said he was disturbed by Andrew Craissati's attempt to avoid alimony payments to his ex-wife, Patricia, by claiming her current cellmate honored a cohabitation clause in their divorce agreement, The Palm Beach (Fla.) Post said Wednesday.

But Cripps said that notion was nothing compared to the impact the 4th District Court of Appeal's support of the request could have on the legal community.

"It goes to show the most winnable case is losable and the most losable case is winnable," the attorney said after Wednesday's ruling.

Under the terms of their divorce, Craissati could stop alimony payments to his ex-wife if she remarried or was deemed to have lived with a cohabitant for at least three months.

The Post said Patricia is serving a nine-year prison sentence in relation to a driving under the influence accident.

Cripps said he will request an appeals court rehearing on the matter.