§ 463 Effect of separation agreement on duty to support a spouse

If you and your spouse have signed a separation agreement, that agreement does not stop you from asking the court for spousal support later. Even if the paperwork already spells out money matters between you two, a spouse can still go to court and file a petition asking for support.

This mainly applies when a spouse is at risk of needing public assistance or care, like welfare or Medicaid, without extra support. The court wants to make sure a private agreement between spouses doesn't leave someone without enough money to live on, which could then force taxpayers to cover the gap through public assistance programs.

So basically, a separation agreement is not the final word if one spouse ends up struggling financially. The court can still step in and order support, even after that agreement was signed, if it's needed to keep that spouse from becoming dependent on public aid.