Andrea Left has a new “husband” but is still collecting alimony from her old one after convincing two California courts that she never really remarried.

When the Lefts divorced in 2008, stock trader Andrew Left agreed to pay his ex-wife $32,547 a month in alimony, plus $14,590 in monthly child support.

Andrea, a former entertainment lawyer, then met physician Todd Katzman, whom she agreed to marry. The two registered for gifts at Bloomingdale’s and participated in a ceremony in Palm Springs on May 2, 2009, after which Andrea told her children she considered herself married to Katzman. She and Katzman even signed a Jewish marriage contract known as a ketubah.

Andrew figured he was no longer obligated to pay alimony and stopped making monthly payments. His former wife, however, challenged him in court, contending that she had merely participated in a “commitment ceremony” with Katzman and was not his wife.

Both the Los Angeles County Superior Court and Second District California Court of Appeals agreed with Andrea, leaving Andrew still on the hook for paying alimony.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

To Learn More:

Prominent Investor Gets ‘Screwed’ By Ex-Wife’s Lawyering Skills (by Staci Zaretsky, Above the Law)

Commitment Ceremony Won't Stop Ex's Checks (by Jeff Gorman, Courthouse News Service)

Andrea Nicole Left v. Andrew Edward Left (California Court of Appeal, Second District, Division Two) (pdf)