LEGAL SEPARATION
What Is a Legal Separation?
If you and your spouse need to start leading separate lives, but you aren’t ready or willing to consider a full divorce, then a legal separation may be a good choice for you. A legal separation is similar to a divorce; it is used to resolve issues like financial responsibilities, child custody and support, living arrangements, the division of your property, and establishes the rights of you and your spouse. Legal separation, however, does not end your marriage.
Advantages of Legal Separation Over Divorce
A legal separation can enable you to retain important benefits, such as your spouse’s medical insurance coverage, while giving you the time to repair and resume your marriage, if you wish. Because of the similarities between the two, a legal separation can also help simplify and speed up the divorce process if you decide to pursue one at a later date. Also, if your religious beliefs or personal faith are against the idea of a divorce, a long term legal separation may be a good alternative. Click here to learn more about the differences between legal separation and divorce proceedings.
How to Obtain a Legal Separation
To become legally separated, simply agreeing to live apart is not enough. A legal separation can only be granted by a judge after you submit all the required paperwork, and there may be a mandatory waiting period. It is possible you will need to appear before the judge, but in most cases you will not need to be physically present in court to get a legal separation. You also do not need to hire an expensive attorney.
Get an Affordable Legal Separation by Using The Document People
The Document People can prepare and file all the necessary forms for you without involving a lawyer. We know exactly what you will need to file, and when you will need to file it, so you will never have to worry about missing deadlines or interrupting your day to wait in line at court — many of our customers never even have to step foot inside a courthouse!
The price of this service may vary based on your individual circumstances, but it will be a fraction of the cost of hiring a lawyer. If you are ready to start the process, please contact us for a quote and for more information about how we can help.
Why Us?
We are truly the best option when it comes to legal separations:
- We often come across people who have tried to do it themselves: they prepare the initial petition, fill out everything the clerk hands them and have the false satisfaction of feeling like they are accomplishing something. That only last until it’s time to file the final paperwork: that’s where 99% of people get stuck. And rejection after rejection, they get more and more frustrated with the process, and finally hire us to finish what was started sometimes years before.
- Same goes for people who use online-only services. The only difference is that they pay hundreds of dollars to have software fill out the forms. The result is the same: they also hit the wall of the finals.
- Let us assist you in your uncontested legal separation. We have handled literally HUNDREDS of cases this past year – we clearly know how to prepare the paperwork and word the settlement agreement between the spouses in a way that will be approved by the court.
And you’ll agree that our fees are extremely competitive.
The differences between Divorce and Legal Separation
This is one of the most common questions our customers ask us. Here is a list of the most relevant differences:
- A legal separation will not change your marital status (you’ll still be married to your spouse, although no longer financially responsible for his/her debts – that’s why at times a legal separation it’s filed when one of the spouses has an addiction, or is about to file for bankruptcy);
- You will not be able to remarry while you are legally separated (for the same reason listed above, you are still married – it would be a case of bigamy if you were to remarry);
- California law requires that you live in the state for a minimum of six months to file for divorce; that is not required in case of a legal separation;
- Legal separations take effect immediately (as soon as the judge signs off on the final paperwork), regardless of the time passed from the day the petition was served on the respondent, whereas a divorce will take a minimum of six months and one day.