i was married for 16 years.....We separated 1 1/2 ago.... he divored me without going to court and i didnt sign any papers... how can i get alimony...

In order to divorce you he would have had to provide you legal notice, so either he served papers on you somehow and you were not aware of it - perhaps he had them posted on the door of an old address and you were no longer there - or he could have noticed you by publicaiton in the newspaper if he said that he did not know where you were living or you were living out of state.  If he served you by publication you have 2 years in which to reopen the case and address any property or support issues.  You can also hae a case reheard within 2 years if there has been a fraud on the court.  So if he served you at a bogus address I'm not sure if that would qualify, but it might.  Since you are still just within that 2 year window you will want to act quickly.  However, the fact that you have been living without spousal support for the past year-and-a-half would seem to indicate that you don't need it.  You usually have a better chance of getting alimony if you ask for it right away and you'll have to explain why you did not.  But it should not bar you gettnig it, if you truly need it and he has the ability to pay.