Are you contemplating a divorce? However, are you worried about the financial implications that come along with it? If the answer to these two questions are yes, then you might as well consider a legal separation. However, you might not be aware about what a legal separation is all about. So, here are a few broad guidelines based on which you would not only be able to decipher the differences between the two, you would also be able to take the best decision for yourself.
Whereas a divorce ends the arrangement of marriage between parties, the parties still remain married under the provisions of a legal separation. In clear and concise terms, a legal separation is orchestrated under a definite order of the court under which the responsibilities and rights of the couple are dictated while they are still legally married but living separately.
While, the parties can remarry following a divorce, remarriage is not an option when the parties are legally separated. Legal separations haven’t become too common yet. The provision could be substantially helpful if the couple decide to take a hiatus before they formally decide to annul their marriage. It is important to understand that legal separation also necessitates court proceedings and the court, akin to divorce proceedings, makes a decision on the following factors:
- The maintenance for separation: The court decides on the support required for the spouse and children, if applicable. However, the terminology might at times be different in order to differentiate it from that of a divorce. The requisite documents for getting separation maintenance are filed in the court by a legal practitioner through a process known as ‘motion pending litigation’. This decision affects the outcome of any divorce petition that might follow the legal separation.
- The decision for awarding the custody of the child.
- The provisions for visitation of the child.
- The provisions for dividing the property.
The decision to divide the property is taken by the court based on the financial situation of the partners and how the partners are related to the property.
The agreement to get a separation could play an instrumental role in safeguarding your interests till the point a decision is taken to file for a formal divorce. An increasing number of couples are resorting to legal separation as a viable option against a divorce.
Gerald A. Maggio is a trained Orange County divorce mediator who has amicably resolved cases many cases out of court, as well as an experienced divorce and family law attorney. Mr. Maggio founded California Divorce Mediators in 2012 with the belief that although “not every marriage can be saved, every family can” and a mission to save families from the financial and emotional distress associated with traditional divorce litigation. California Divorce Mediators is located in Irvine, California, and serves the Orange County area and other counties in California offering divorce mediation, child custody mediation and mediation of other family law matters.
Welcome to The Maggio Law Firm’s PODCAST about what Legal Separation is, whether you should file for Legal Separation instead of Divorce, and an explanation about what an Annulment is.
Gerald A. Maggio is an experienced Orange County divorce attorney and family law attorney located in Irvine, California, serving the Orange County and Riverside areas. Mr. Maggio assists clients with legal issues including divorce, legal separation, divorce mediation, child custody, prenuptial agreements, stepparent adoptions, and other family law issues. Mr. Maggio has practiced law in California since 1999, and founded The Maggio Law Firm in 2005, focusing exclusively on divorce and family law matters.
Legal separation is much like filing for divorce, in that you can obtain many of the same orders regarding custody, division of property, and support. However, there is one key difference: at the end of a legal separation case, you are still legally married to your spouse.
In situations where a party wants to obtain orders for child custody, visitation, and/or other issues but has not lived in the same county for the past 3 months or in California for the past 6 months to meet the time requirements for filing for divorce, that party can file for Legal Separation and amend his or her Petition to a divorce after 6 months have passed.
Legal Separation is also appropriate for some parties for religious and/or insurance coverage issues. Medical insurance companies who had previously insured a spouse under the other spouse’s medical insurance during the marriage generally terminate such coverage options when a divorce is finalized. Therefore, for spouses who would have difficulty in obtaining their own medical insurance coverage after termination of their marriage due to pre-existing medical conditions, a legal separation can make sense because it enables such medical insurance coverage to continue. The Court can make orders relating to child custody, visitation, child and spousal support and divide property in a legal separation case, but the parties otherwise remain married to each other.
Unless your circumstances fit one of those circumstances above, you should consider divorce instead of legal separation because you will still be married at the end of a legal separation case and if you later decide to divorce, you will have to file a new case for divorce.
What About An Annulment? In order to qualify for an annulment instead of obtaining a divorce, the party seeking an annulment must be able to prove that the parties’ marriage was “void” (i.e. an incestuous marriage or where one of the parties was still legally married to another individual at the same time) or “voidable (where the party seeking annulment was under 18 years of age at the time of marriage or that the marriage was entered into based upon fraudulent representations, force, or mental and/or physical incapacity). It is generally substantially more difficult to obtain an annulment than a divorce.
For more information or to schedule a consultation, please contact The Maggio Law Firm at 949-553-0304 and at www.maggiolawfirm.com.
