The choice between legal separation and divorce is often a matter of personal preference. Some people have religious or personal beliefs that do not allow for divorce, so legal separation allows them to stay married while still being able to live a completely separate life. Legal separation will continue your relationship, at least to some extent, so that you stay connected. If you have a legal separation, you are still entitled to certain benefits, such as social security and pensions, which make payments to surviving spouses. This information has been created to give you general information about the law. It is not legal advice on a particular issue. If you have any questions about the law, you should consult a lawyer. If you don`t know a lawyer, you can call the South Carolina Bar Lawyer Referral Service weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The number is 799-7100 in Richland or Lexington counties and 1-800-868-2284 in other parts of the state.

In South Carolina, the only way to get a no-fault divorce from you is to live apart for a year. There is separate living when the spouses live in two different places. Living in different rooms in the same house is not considered a separate life. Spouses don`t need a separate support order and support to live apart, but it can help spouses protect their financial interests and resolve visitation and custody issues during the separation period. The above points are just points you should consider. For legal advice, contact a family law lawyer in your area who is familiar with legal separation. All of these options are similar to legal separation in that they provide opportunities to provide visitation, financial assistance, and property orders without divorce or before the divorce is finalized. In other countries, legal separation may become grounds for divorce. You solve all the problems when you create your separation agreement, live under it for a period of time, and then after a while, that agreement is converted into a divorce decree. If you and your spouse are separated, but don`t divorce, there may be financial consequences because you`re still legally married. More information about the financial obligations of marriage and divorce can be found here.

In the case of a conversion divorce, ask the judge to include all the terms of the separation agreement in your divorce. The judge will review all the terms of your agreement and decide whether to include all the terms of the agreement in your divorce. Divorce and legal separation are valid and useful options to consider if you are facing a failed marriage. Take the time to think about what works best for you. The list of things that need to be included in separation documents and forms is as follows: A separation agreement is essentially a contract in which spouses no longer live together, but are not formally divorced. A separation agreement sets out the rights and obligations of the parties when they live apart. This concept is similar to legal separation in that it may set requirements for visitation, financial support or property rights. All Law is a leading resource for all types of legal forms and online separation documents.

The legal separation from all laws form must be copied and pasted into a document on your computer, after which you can fill out the form and file it with your district court. Any separation document containing this information may be returned by the court for review. After the review, the party who filed the documents would resubmit them to the court for reconsideration. South Carolina does not recognize “legal separation.” Instead, South Carolina family courts issue separate support and support orders, which include specific details about custody, visitation and support arrangements for the parties, as well as how to maintain marital property and pay marital debts until the case is resolved at a final hearing or hearing. A separate support order is a temporary order; It does not cover the issue of divorce and does not terminate the marriage of the parties. It is important to think carefully about the terms of your separation agreement. If you later decide to divorce, the terms of your separation agreement may become the terms of your divorce. If your spouse does not agree with the provision in the application, he or she has the right to file a counter-motion. If this happens and you can`t agree through mediation or collaborative law, you`ll need to go to a judge to resolve the issues you couldn`t agree on. In some cases, legal separation can be as complicated as obtaining a divorce. Issues such as custody, visitation and support, the spouse who stays in the matrimonial home, who is responsible for paying the mortgage and other costs associated with the home during the period of separation, closing joint accounts, dividing matrimonial debts, transferring personal title deeds such as cars and boats in the name of one or another spouse (as applicable): who retains ownership of the property), spousal support and health insurance are the subject of a separate maintenance and assistance order. There are different types of separations.

A trial separation is an informal separation where you live apart and see if a separation or divorce is ultimately what you want. Many couples do this when they have marital problems. In Texas, you can use injunctions, protection orders, lawsuits involving the parent-child relationship, or separation agreements to achieve many of the same goals that someone wants in what`s called a legal separation. If you live in states that have legal separation laws, you may be able to easily get one. In the event of divorce or to obtain legal separation, you must respect certain residency clauses in order to obtain legal separation. You`ll also need to file and serve separation documents, which is pretty much the same for divorce papers. To help you prepare to talk to a lawyer about a separation agreement, below is a list of questions a lawyer will likely ask you questions about. Look carefully at each question: If you want to make sure you`re entitled to specific land, such as your motorcycle or car, state that in your separation agreement. Not all states offer legal separation as an option, so it`s important to determine your state`s laws. If legal separation is allowed in your state, you can get legal separation by filing a separation agreement. You can also get one by applying for separation, just as you would file for divorce. You can even try if you disagree.

You can be legally separated as long as you and your spouse think it`s better. However, if you plan to use your separation agreement later as the basis for a divorce, you and your spouse must have lived apart for at least one year under your separation agreement. Do NOT accept anything in a separation agreement that you would not accept if you had to negotiate a divorce settlement. Separation documents are used by spouses who intend to settle any legal issues they have, such as custody of children or division of matrimonial property when creating formally separated homes. This is important if a couple has not yet decided to divorce. You can often get free separation documents and forms online or from your local county clerk.