Alimony is court-ordered support paid by one spouse to the other for a period of time after a divorce.
Alimony is paid by a spouse who has the ability to pay to a spouse in need of support for a period of time. Only people who are divorcing or are divorced can ask for and receive alimony.
Request alimony during your divorce
If you are getting divorced, you ask for alimony as a part of the divorce process. It is not a separate procedure.