Legal separation
De facto separation that maintains a legal marriage / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Legal separation (sometimes judicial separation, separate maintenance, divorce a mensa et thoro, or divorce from bed-and-board) is a legal process by which a married couple may formalize a de facto separation while remaining legally married. A legal separation is granted in the form of a court order. In cases where children are involved, a court order of legal separation often makes child custody arrangements, specifying sole custody or shared parenting, as well as child support.[1] Some couples obtain a legal separation as an alternative to a divorce, based on moral or religious objections to divorce.[2]
Legal separation does not automatically lead to divorce. The couple might reconcile, in which case they do not have to do anything in order to continue their marriage.[3][4]