Would an Alimony Formula Reduce Litigation?

I read a good article in the ABA Journal discussing some of the efforts and trends to reduce the rancor often involved in divorce litigation. One of the points discussed in the article was the establishment of maintenance/alimony formulas. It really makes sense to me. We have formulas for child support across the country, so why not one for maintenance. The fact is, maintenance is an area in both of the states in which I practice (KY & IL) which is very wide open and subject to judicial discretion. This often leads to hearings and additional litigation that could be avoided if both sides knew essentially what the numbers were going to be. I would like to hear what others think on this issue. Please post a comment or send me an e-mail and let me know what you think.