§ 465 Effect of denial of support in action for separation

If a spouse asks the Supreme Court for support during a separation case and the court says no, that doesn't necessarily mean the door is closed for good. Family Court can still step in and order support later, but only in two specific situations.

First, Family Court can order support if things have changed since the original decision. If the couple's financial situation or living arrangements are different now than they were when the Supreme Court made its ruling, Family Court can take a fresh look and decide support is needed.

Second, Family Court can order support if the spouse asking for help can show they're likely to end up needing public assistance or care. Even if nothing else has changed, if there's real risk that this person will need government aid to get by, Family Court can step in to prevent that by ordering support.

In both cases, the person asking for support has to prove their situation to the Family Court's satisfaction. The earlier denial by the Supreme Court doesn't automatically block a new request, but the spouse needs a good reason, either changed circumstances or the risk of needing public assistance, before Family Court will consider ordering support.