Jacobsdeception the Sly wrote:
Samira wrote:
So what is a legal separation, anyway? Is it a pre-req for divorce, or is it its own thing? And either way, what does it entail? Severance of property? Custody? Income?
A legal separation is essentially a divorce for people who don't believe in divorce. It varies from place to place but for the most part with a legal separation you get all of the same things you would get in a standard dissolution of marriage like court orders for child support, alimony, and assignment of assests while still retaining a married status.
/nod In California, there is no required statutory time for a legal separation prior to initiating any divorce proceedings. You can get married on day and file for divorce the next day in California (and my office has handled a few of those kind).
There are some that do the legal separation because they REFUSE to go along with a divorce, if only to keep that "******* or *****" for marrying someone else (another lovely thing many of clients like to do).
Edit: And California is a no-fault divorce state. You can simply get divorced because you don't feel like being married anymore. If your spouse abused you in some way, you have to try for damages in a civil lawsuit.
Edited, Sep 14th 2006 at 5:47pm EDT by Thumbelyna